Ganesh idol making workshop at Millennium

Anyone would have been pleasantly shocked to see the many Ganesh idols that adorned our badminton hall on last Sunday. We had the eco-friendly Ganesh idol making workshop on 1^st September for some of our students from 5^th to 10^th. It was conducted in two batches of 4 hours each. We are sorry that all interested students could not get admissions in the workshop as it wouldn’t have been just to accommodate more students with given number of resource personnel. The workshop was a huge success. The response was overwhelming and we are happy to tell you that we will have more workshops in the next year so that every individual wishing to participate will get a chance.

Our children were present on time for both the batches – 8.30 to 12.30 and 1.30 to 5.30. The workshop started with an interactive lecture that taught our children about recycling and reusing. They derived how the cost of any thing is the cost of many efforts put into its making by nature and man. They understood how they save money as well as so many efforts when they use a thing again and again. Children also realized how and why the things that we borrow from nature should be returned to nature.

The discussion was followed by an elaborate demonstration of idol making. Khare madam of Shastra Vahini showed the process of idol making by actually making the idol in front of children in 35-40 minutes. Children were told to observe carefully and they did observe intently. They learnt the correct way of cutting, holding and rolling the clay. Careful attention was given to minute details by teachers as well as students. As soon as the children got their clay, they got totally engrossed. The correct basic structure was ensured and then freedom was given for the idol’s ornaments and accessories. Our children came out with great creativity. Someone made a beautiful mouse for his Ganesh, the idols exhibited various ornaments and turbans like the Puneri pagadi and even pheta!

There was an expert teacher for every 4 children. The students got individual guidance and it showed in their beautiful idols at the end of the magical 4 hours. Parents who came to pick their children up were amazed to directly see the fully made idols. The feedback forms told us that there was not a single child who thought the workshop was not fun, or was a bad way of spending a Sunday. Everybody was happy with their idol and most of them had decided to worship the idol in the coming Ganesh festival. They liked every part of the workshop. Some kids wrote that they were going to preserve the idol for the whole year, some were also going to worship it daily. Some students had worked with clay before, while it was a new experience for many. There were many takeaways for students – enjoying the clay, learning a new art form, enjoyment of working with friends, love for nature, importance of recycling etc. Someone wrote that he understood how difficult it was to make a Ganpati idol, while some other said she will never waste things and will return them to nature. We are extremely happy with the learnings that our children derived through a fun activity.

The teachers of Shastra Vahini too, had good observations to share after the workshop. They found our children very much interested and enthusiastic. They were pleased to see that even the 5^th standard students sat for the entire 4 hours and finished with beautiful idols!

All in all, we had a great workshop, greater learnings and greatest fun on a superb Sunday. Students, click pictures of your clay bappas before and after colouring them. We would like to see the coloured idols too 🙂