'Green Durga Puja' trend is on the rise, PM Narendra Modi has also appealed for its adoption, find out why this option is special..

Green Durga Puja: Navratri is in full swing across the country. Preparations are almost complete. The sacred day of Navratri begins on Monday, September 22, 2025. Every year, when Durga Puja and Navratri arrive, the pandals across the country are a sight to behold. The decorations in the markets, the sound of drums, and the sight of Goddess Durga's idols immerse the mind in the festive spirit. However, in the last few years, another color has been added to the festival's charm! And that is "greenery." This trend is growing in India, as this festival is now becoming a symbol not only of faith but also of "responsibility towards nature." The question now is: why has the Green Durga Puja trend increased? What is this eco-friendly alternative? What did the Prime Minister's appeal for a Green Durga Puja? Let's find out:

Narendra Modi appealed to Mann Ki Baat.
In 2016, during the radio program "Mann Ki Baat," Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for a "Green Durga Puja." A Green Durga Puja, in which tradition is not compromised and gratitude to nature is not neglected. Several states in the country have taken this seriously, and the campaign is being expanded by involving the public.

Pollution Control Board Monitors Puja Organizers
In states like Jharkhand, the Pollution Control Board has issued clear guidelines to puja organizers: idols should be made only from clay, colors should be free of chemicals, decorations should be free of plastic, and immersion should take place only in designated ponds or artificial tanks. The Ranchi Municipal Corporation has launched a campaign against single-use plastic. Pandals have been warned that action will be taken if they do not comply with environmental regulations.

Special Arrangements in Kolkata
The Tala Pratyay Puja Committee in Kolkata has set up a decentralized waste-to-fuel unit to convert everything from food scraps to flowers, plastic, and paper into solid fuel. Furthermore, the women of the Asharani Foundation in Prayagraj have created idols made from cow dung and glue, which are completely organic and biodegradable.

In cities like Nagpur, where idols made of POP (Plaster of Paris) were once common, the situation is now changing. Ganeshotsav was celebrated with great enthusiasm recently. A report on this shows that on the second day of immersion, 94% of the idols were found to be made of clay. The change is slow, but full of hope.

The impact of these changes is clearly visible. When idols are free of toxic dyes and chemicals, water pollution is reduced. When decorations do not contain plastic, rivers and ponds are not choked with floating waste after immersion. And when idols made of clay, cow dung, or jute are purchased from small artisans, the rural economy also benefits from the puja.

Eco-friendly options are expensive, and not all puja committees or individuals can afford them. In many places, there are not enough safe water bodies for immersion. It's not easy for the administration to completely ban plastic and chemical decorations.

But despite all this, this change raises hope that we are learning to worship nature along with devotion. Idols of Goddess Durga are not just symbols of power, but are also a means to show that true worship does not harm nature.

PM Modi also said in Mann Ki Baat, "Festivals are not just celebrations, but a responsibility. When we decorate puja pandals, immerse idols, and perform decorations, all this should be done in a way that does not harm our earth and water."

PC Social media