Davangere
As the Ganesh festival approaches, devotees flock to witness a unique creation by the Hindu Yuva Shakti Vedike at Thogatveer Samudra Bhavan in MCCA block, Davangere. For the past 33 years, the youth organization has installed Ganesha idols using various materials, and this year, they crafted a thirteen-and-a-half-foot-tall Ganesha idol using three and a half quintals of cow dung.
The idol, adorned with 9,555 small jingling bells, has become the center of attention, attracting devotees who are eager to take selfies and offer their prayers. The practice of crafting idols from single materials is a hallmark of the Vedike, with previous idols made from items such as coconuts, green rice, maize ears, cardamom, rudraksha, pearls, cashew nuts, turmeric cones, silver coins, silkworm cocoons, and more. Each item is chosen for its symbolic significance and contributes to the spiritual aura of the idol.
Srinivas, leader of the organization, said, “We have been celebrating Ganesh festival for 33 years by making idols from diverse materials. This year, using cow dung is a nod to traditional worship practices, and devotees feel spiritually purified after seeing the Gejjeya Ganesha.”
The display not only highlights creativity and devotion but also emphasizes eco-friendly practices, aligning with the traditional reverence for nature in Hindu rituals. Devotees continue to pour in throughout the day, marveling at the scale, craftsmanship, and devotion invested in this remarkable Ganesha idol.
The Hindu Yuva Shakti Vedike has a long-standing tradition of crafting Ganesha idols from unconventional materials such as rupee coins, rudraksha, silk cocoons, and cardamom, combining art, devotion, and cultural heritage in their festival celebrations.
