BENGALURU, 27 JULY 

A City community is turning discarded idols and images of gods into a celebration of sustainability and reverence. During an event organised by the HSR Citizen Forum at Siddhi Vinayaka temple in HSR Layout, residents gathered to recycle and give new purpose to broken or unwanted religious images.

The event, held on 26 July, involved an Udvasana pooja, a ritual believed to extract the deity’s presence from the idol. Participants then separated recyclable materials such as glass, plastic, wood, and paper, while some idols found new homes or were repurposed.

Among those taking part was class nine student Ayushvi Roy, born to atheist parents, who collects idols, including Goddess Saraswathi and Lord Ganesha, for her shrine. She has reportedly said that although she is an atheist, she is a believer and makes a point to go to the temple every day.

The youngest volunteer, a nine-year-old Prashasthi, dressed as a goddess and carefully removed nails from old frames. She expressed her enjoyment in making clay Ganesha idols during festivals. 71-year-old Vanaja shared her motivation to rescue idols, criticising consumerism and the wastefulness of discarded religious images.

Veteran volunteer Ananthakrishnan, aged 68, said he values the purpose these events give him, while software engineer Sunil Reddy highlighted the growing turnout, with participants travelling from nearby towns. The community’s efforts reflect a respectful approach to religious artefacts, promoting circularity and sustainability.