Cultural Defense Committee Rescues 2500 Lord Ganesha Idols in Surat

Surat :  The Cultural Defense Committee took the initiative to rescue and reverently immerse more than 2500 idols of Lord Ganesha that had been left in canals and creeks across areas like Dindoli, Kharwasa, and Chalthan in Surat after the Ganesha Visharjan festival. The idols, found in a deteriorating state, were lovingly immersed in the sea at Hazira.

The condition of the Lord Ganesha idols left partially submerged in the canal deeply touched the sentiments of the Hindu community. In response, Ashish Suryavanshi, President of the Cultural Defense Committee, in collaboration with the dedicated Gausevaks of Shri Madhav Gaushala and more than 150 enthusiastic youths from the Udhana Pandesara area organization, undertook the task of retrieving these damaged idols and ensuring their respectful immersion at Hazira sea.

With the invaluable support of Bhikhubhai Patel, organizer of Radhe Krishna Mandal in Hazira, the idols were given a proper send-off from Boat Point Ovara, Hazira. This noble endeavor by the Cultural Defense Committee has been a consistent tradition for the past seven years.

Ashish Suryavanshi, the organization’s president, emphasized the importance of responsible idol immersion. He pointed out that while devotees joyfully bring Lord Ganesha to their mandaps, worship Him with devotion for several days, it is equally crucial to ensure a dignified immersion ceremony at the conclusion of the festivities. Improperly disposing of the idols, especially after ten days of worship, can be disrespectful and hurtful to the sentiments of the Hindu community.

Suryavanshi went on to say that the organization has been tirelessly working to raise awareness among the public and the administration about the significance of proper idol immersion. They have been advocating for the ban of idols made of Plaster of Paris (POP) to protect the environment and the culture. However, despite their persistent efforts, awareness on these matters remains limited among the general populace.