Celebrate Ganesh Festival as per ‘Dharma-shastra’ avoiding malpractices ! – HJS

Adhik Bhadrpad Krushna 11, Kaliyug Varsha 5114

 

O Hindus, Don’t get misled by propagation against Dharma by the Government and anti- Dharma Organisations !

 

Mumbai : Lokmanya Tilak started public celebration of Ganesha Festival with the aim of unification of Hindus, protection of Nation and creating awareness amongst people towards Dharma; however, the festival presently celebrated indulging in various malpractices like installing weird idols of Deities, drinking liquor in pandals, noise pollution, teasing women, organising uncivilized programs, air pollution, costly decorations etc., keeps away from the basic purpose of celebration as also eliminates sanctity of the festival. Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) has been running campaign for the past 9 years for creating awareness towards serving the original purpose of celebrating Ganesha Festival. This campaign has been receiving good response from Police, public Ganesha Festival Committees (committees) and Ganesha-devotees.

HJS has made an appeal that all committees should celebrate this festival as per Dharma-shastra avoiding malpractices so as to acquire the grace of Sri Ganesha. HJS has also appealed to all Ganesha-devotees to use idols made of clay as prescribed by Dharma and worship it with devotion. Immersion of the idol should be done in flowing water or natural water resources as per the science.

1. Why issue of pollution is raised only during Hindu festivals? – Every year, as Ganesha Festival approaches, the so-called environmentalists and Andha-shraddha Nirmulan Samiti (ANS), who are inactive for 364 days of the year, start making noise that ‘Ganesha festival means pollution’, targeting only Hindu festivals. They are, however, not concerned about the extremely polluted water and harmful chemicals released by factories as effluents causing immense pollution; besides pollution caused by Muslims through ‘Tabut’ and use of thermacoal and plastic during Christmas by Christians; but they keep quiet about such pollution. The Government is also indifferent.

2. Negligible pollution : In fact, it is the opinion of Polluition Control Board and non- Government environmental organisations like ‘Srushti Eco Research Institute’ and ‘Oasis Environmental Consultants’ that pollution caused through Ganesha Festival is very negligible and not matter of worry; therefore, atheists organisations, which have no faith in God and don’t celebrate Ganesha Festival, should not oppose religious festivals of Hindus and hurt their religious sentiments.

3. Anti-Dharma ANS and Govt. mislead people : Presently, under the name of eco-friendly Ganesha Festival, many anti-Dharma drives are undertaken like making Ganesha idols from trash, paper or waste material, making appeal to donate idols etc. by so-called social organisations like ANS and Ganesha-devotees should keep away from their misguiding propagation. Such anti-Dharma organisations and the Government are trying to impose ban on immersion of Ganesha-idols in natural water bodies citing a Government circular dated 3rd May 2011; thus prohibiting Hindus from their right to follow Dharma. The Court has not given any clear directions to that effect nor has the Central Pollution Control Board finalised instructions in this context. A Committee is yet to be set up and take a decision. Under ‘RTI’, the State Pollution Control Board has given an opinion that paper pulp does cause pollution. Still the Environment Department of the State Government has issued the above circular appealing people to use idols made of paper pulp and has hatched a plot to increase pollution. The said circular should, therefore, be withdrawn / cancelled immediately.

4. Desecration of Ganesha and unwarranted expenses in immersion of idols in artificial water tanks : On immersion of Ganesha idols in artificial water tanks, the idols are, later, taken out and their hands, legs are broken, powdered and thrown in stone quarries thus causing desecration of idols. At many places, complaints have been lodged against these things with the police as religious sentiments of people are hurt which can lead to law and order problems. Artificial water tanks are built spending lakhs of rupees for immersion of idols which are very few in numbers; instead if emphasis is made on making idols as per Dharma-shastra, the problem of pollution will not arise.

If Ganesha Festival is celebrated as per Hindu ‘Dharma-shastra’, it will be complementary to Dharma, society and environment and will be joyful.