Thane women shape home-immersed Ganesha idols from natural mud

Aditi Date, who has made her own Ganpati idols for 28 years, guided women from Thane’s Shrirang Society through a 10-to-12-day workshop in natural-mud sculpture.

The participants included doctors, pathologists, stage artists and authors. They shaped, painted and added stone detailing to their own Ganesha idols for home celebrations.

The workshop required each participant to immerse their idol at home rather than in a local water body. Participants plan to reuse the dissolved clay for domestic gardening or future sculpting.

The workshop offers an option for households planning Ganeshotsav celebrations at home. After visarjan, the participants intend to keep the dissolved clay for use in gardens or in later sculpture work.