From earth to earth, living by the cycle of life

Nagendra, Harini (2023) From earth to earth, living by the cycle of life. Deccan Herald.

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Abstract

The Gauri-Ganesha festival season has just concluded. After the worshipping and the feasts, it is now time for immersion of the idols. Many of us can remember a time when water was truly sacred, worshipped, protected, and kept clean – where Gange puje was conducted at the side of overflowing lakes, where traditional bagina was offered to the lake – an offering of natural materials, local grains, fruits and other produce like sugarcane, in trays made from bamboo and reeds. But our orientation -- as individuals, communities, indeed as a society – toward nature, water, worship has changed. For decades, vividly coloured Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols have been submerged in Bengaluru’s lakes, their toxic chemicals and paints impacting the quality of our already polluted water bodies. Over time, the progress of modernity has distanced us from our relationship with sacred nature.

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Newspaper Article

Authors:

Nagendra, Harini

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