As the festive spirit of Ganesh Chaturthi fills the air once again, it’s worth revisiting a moment when Bollywood superstar Salman Khan passionately spoke about why his family has been welcoming only eco-friendly Ganesha idols for years.
Salman Khan continued his cherished tradition this year as well by bringing Ganpati Bappa home with the theme of greenery. Staying true to his eco-friendly rituals, the actor emphasized devotion with responsibility, blending faith and sustainability, while spreading a message of purity, environmental care, and meaningful celebration.
At an event organized by the Divjay Foundation, in association with the Municipal Corporation of Mumbai, Mumbai Police and Chattra Sansad, Salman emphasized that true devotion to Lord Ganesha also means respecting nature.
“Eco-friendly Ganesha has been coming to our house for a very long time. Until there is a purity in the festival, you can’t celebrate the festival,” he had said. For Salman, that purity isn’t just about rituals, it’s about ensuring that celebrations don’t harm the environment.
The actor expressed his discomfort at the sight of broken idols after visarjan. “After the visarjan, some idols’ head, trunk, leg are scattered everywhere and some people step on other scattered idols of Lord Ganesha. It’s not nice. Basically, I want to say I won’t throw garbage and won’t let others throw garbage,” he explained.
Salman highlighted how his family’s long-standing practice of bringing home eco-friendly idols prevents such heartbreaking scenes. The event also showcased idols crafted from biodegradable materials by BMC school students, a gesture Salman praised wholeheartedly.
He reminded devotees that Ganesh Chaturthi should go hand in hand with cleanliness. “We have been getting eco-friendly Ganesha for a long time because during and post visarjan there are law and order and cleanliness issues. Paper, plastic cups and bottles are thrown around and they are cleaned by BMC workers the next day. It’s not good. It’s better if everyone uses eco-friendly Ganesha idols,” he urged.
The actor also made a sharp observation about civic sense. “There are people who behave well in other countries like America, Switzerland, Dubai but throw garbage here in our country. Children can teach elders to keep up with the cleanliness,” he noted.
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