Ganesh Chaturthi 2023: Chocolate Ganesha to Turmeric Ganesha; 5 DIY eco-friendly Ganpati idols to make with food items

Ganesh Chaturthi is round the corner and the devotees are rejoicing over arrival of their favourite Ganpati Bappa in less than a week's time. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated as Lord Ganesha's birth anniversary and the festivities go on for a span of ten days till it's for Visarjan and bid adieu to the lord. This year September 18 will mark the starting of Ganeshotsav while the festival will conclude on September 28. In India, the festival is especially celebrated with much fanfare in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Goa. (Also read: Ganesh Chaturthi 2023: Delicious modaks to make for Lord Ganesha's bhog)

One of the major attractions of Ganesh Chaturthi is bringing Lord Ganesha's idol home and then immersing it in a water body at the end of the 10-day festival. However, many idols are decorated with toxic paints and have heavy metals like lead and mercury which make the water unsafe for drinking and add to the water pollution. In the recent years, devotees have been experimenting with eco-friendly idols made of safer materials and foods that can also be later distributed to the needy.

No wonder that Ganpati made of dry fruits, Belgian chocolate or fruits is much appreciated as it can also be distributed as prasad to poor, needy and people in general.

Ahead of the festival, here are 5 Ganesha idols that you can make with food items.

1. Wheat dough Ganesha

All you have to do to make this idol is to prepare a wheat dough. The quantity of wheat will depend on the size of the idol. You can then mould it into the required shapes.

2. Fruit Ganesha

Banana, apple, papaya, cherries and other fruits can be used as per your imagination to make Ganesha idol. Make sure to keep your idol at a cooler place of your home so that the fruits don't turn stale and can be useful till the end of the festival.

3. Dry fruits

Dry fruits can be a good choice for preparing Ganesha idol as there is no risk of spoilage. They can later be distributed to poor and needy. Dry fruits like cashew, raisins, almonds, walnuts etc can be used to form Ganesha idol.

4. Chocolate Ganesha

A Ganesha idol made of Belgian chocolate went viral a year or so back. The edible idol was later turned into chocolate shake and distributed to the needy. You can also attempt the same.

5. Turmeric Ganesha

Turmeric, wheat flour, sugar powder and milk can be combined to form a soft dough. Now get creative and make big and small balls out of the dough. Shape them into making a beautiful Ganesha idol.

You can make these Ganesha idols very easily and keep them for 10 days before bidding adieu to Ganpati Bappa, to make your Ganesh Utsav eco-friendly.