This Diwali, homes will be graced by lamps and idols of Ganesha and Lakshmi crafted from cow dung. There is also a high demand for incense sticks (dhupbatti) and idols depicting Lord Hanuman, Shiva, Saraswati, Kuber, and the ‘Ram Darbar’ (Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshmana, and Hanuman). Decorative door hangings (vandanwar) and symbols like ‘Shubh-Labh’, ‘Om’, ‘Shri’, the ‘Swastika’, and ‘Riddhi-Siddhi’ are also attracting significant interest. Priced between ₹100 and ₹200, these items are becoming a popular choice for Diwali decorations.
A key feature of these eco-friendly products is that, upon immersion, they do not pollute rivers or canals; instead, they help enhance water purity.
Lamps, idols, and ‘havan’ (ritual offering) materials are priced between ₹100 and ₹200.
Prankur Jain, founder of ‘Love You Zindagi’, suggests that if one cannot immerse these items in a river or canal, they can simply place them in a bucket of water at home for a week. Afterward, the items can be broken down by hand and used as fertilizer for plants and trees. The cow dung used to create these products is sourced from the ‘Kanha Goshala’ (cow shelter) located in Tedhi Bagiya. A portion of the earnings is used to provide fodder and other necessities for the cows at the rural shelter. Through this initiative, we are also providing employment to nearly two dozen people.
These cow-dung-based products help purify river water upon immersion. We have been showcasing these eco-friendly items at exhibitions held in the city and other districts. We began producing these cow-dung-based goods six years ago; they are crafted using a mixture of cow dung, ‘maidalakdi’ (a natural binding agent), and guar gum. Our organization collects food from one thousand households daily and delivers it to a *gaoshala* (cow shelter). There is a demand for ‘seed balls’ during the rainy season.
Founder Prankur Jain explained that he, along with Anoop Singhal and Shiv Shankar Mundra, established the organization with a focus on environmental conservation. They provide items such as Ganesha idols for Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga idols for Navratri, *havan* (ritual fire) materials, *havan* wood, cow-dung cakes, and various types of *rakhis*. During the rainy season, there is a demand for ‘seed balls’—containing seeds from neem, *jamun* (black plum), and *sahjan* (drumstick) trees—in which cow dung serves as fertilizer.
Animal Welfare Officer Dr. Ajay Singh stated that, with the aim of raising awareness about cow-based products, items such as cow-dung cakes, *havan* materials, and *havan* wood are being made available at the counter of the Municipal Corporation office on a ‘no-profit, no-loss’ basis. Anyone can visit the Municipal Corporation office between 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM to purchase these items.
