The ambience of Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai is in reality infectious. It’s a time of pleasure and birthday party as other people welcome Ganapati Bappa into their properties, an enjoy that should be lived to be totally favored.
The weeks and months main as much as the competition are a whirlwind of task for mandals, devotees, decorators, and everybody all in favour of welcoming the liked elephant-headed god. Each and every side road bustles with power as other people paintings on developing intricate ornament topics.
Lalbaug, specifically — house to the long-lasting Lalbaugcha Raja, one of the most town’s greatest Ganesha idols — attracts lakhs of tourists and is in reality a sight to behold.
For Sandesh Shankar Gaonkar, who grew up on this colourful neighbourhood, the competition has been a defining a part of his lifestyles. Spending a lot of his early life at Ganapati mandals and amongst idol and decor artisans, Sandesh discovered the artwork of portray and ornament — talents that formed him into who he’s lately.
“I learnt my kala (artwork) there,” he says. It ignited the artist inside him, atmosphere him at the trail to pursue a occupation within the arts.
It’s no wonder that Sandesh introduced Thane-based ‘Sarvangi Arts’ — a ornament trade specialising in eco-friendly, reusable makhars (decorations) for Ganesha. For the previous seven years, his creations have honoured Maharashtrian heritage whilst selling sustainability. His makhar decorations, to be had in 10 designs, are crafted from conventional sarees like Ilkal and Paithani.
In a time when comfort is essential, all the setup may also be assembled in underneath 5 mins! This yr, Sandesh’s assortment has already offered out, with shoppers from all over the world.
Right here’s what units Sarvangi Arts aside.
Celebrating Maharashtrian heritage
With over 12 years of enjoy as a industrial artist in an advert company, 38-year-old Sandesh now works as a design head in a company position. The theory for his trade took root about seven years in the past when the Maharashtra Govt banned single-use plastic and thermocol.
Thermocol decorations, broadly utilized in pandals all through the 10-day competition, sparked a public outcry as they give a contribution to environmental air pollution, clogging water our bodies and endangering marine lifestyles. Whilst many lamented the affect on their livelihood, Sandesh started exploring eco-friendly possible choices that may keep away from harming the surroundings.
“The ban highlighted the desire for an eco-friendly choice. There weren’t many choices out there then, and the to be had possible choices, like decor with actual plant life, have been very pricey. I stored desirous about the other eco-friendly fabrics which may be used,” Sandesh tells The Higher India.
The quintessential ‘aha’ second got here from an surprising supply — a TV serial. Whilst looking at Swarajyarakshak Sambhaji, a display about Sambhaji, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji, Sandesh used to be struck by way of inspiration. The colourful, vibrant sarees worn by way of the ladies all through the Maratha generation stuck his consideration, and an concept started to take form.
May just he create decorations the use of those conventional sarees that may no longer best honour Maratha tradition but additionally lend a hand offer protection to the surroundings?
The solution used to be a convincing sure.
So the artist went again to his roots to create shocking makhar the use of Paithani and Ilkal sarees. He purchased some sarees and used calligraphy to create stunning prints on them. He additionally unleashed his creativity to make a brand new design known as the Paithani Pankha, in which he created a backdrop the use of the Paithani saree, formed like a circle.
Making this out of his space within the first yr, he effectively offered all 28 designs that he made.
“I will make 4 makhar the use of one saree and I take into accout doing it with seven sarees within the first yr. Getting offered out used to be heartening, and made me realise that there used to be a requirement for it,” he stocks.
Celebrating consciously
Through the years, Sandesh rented a small house close to his house in Kalwa, Thane, the place he showcases his merchandise yearly. With manufacturing beginning every yr on June 5, Setting Day, he stocks with a marginally of delight that his complete assortment sells out neatly sooner than Ganesh Chaturthi annually!
“Previous, other people would discuss with Lalbaug or different spaces bodily to shop for decorations. For the reason that COVID-19 pandemic hit, persons are buying groceries on-line. We began turning in the decorations house since inception, which gave us a bonus,” he provides.
Whilst the packaging used to be massive to begin with, the artist has labored on making it small and compact, which permits him to ship the world over too. The USP, but even so being sustainable, is the truth that the decorations may also be assembled in not up to 5 mins!
“Identical to ready-to-cook foods, it is a ready-to-install makhar. Its 3 standout options are its light-weight design, compact measurement, and straightforwardness of set up — it may be arrange in simply 5 mins,” he reiterates.
Each and every package deal comprises a stand, an umbrella, two inflatable pillows (for simple packaging), a seat/ fabric for Ganesha, and the backdrop. The package deal weighs not up to 4 kg, which used to be designed maintaining in thoughts global delivery.
“I’ve had orders from america, Canada, Australia, and around the nation this yr. It’s simple to put in and can be utilized for a few years. I’ve had shoppers who simply take a distinct backdrop after 3 years, protecting the opposite decorations,” provides Sandesh.
Shankar Sawant, certainly one of Sarvangi Arts’ first shoppers, says that what helps to keep him coming again is the freshness of the designs and the original idea.
“I stay up for Sandesh’s new designs annually. It’s made all the ornament procedure so easy. I don’t have to fret about it in any respect and will get started it simply at the morning of Ganesh Chaturthi. I gave remaining yr’s makhar to my family in Nashik. We stay rotating the designs inside our circle of relatives, which guarantees they get reused!” says Shankar.
The artist emphasises that all of the fabrics used may also be reused, from the sarees to the steel pipes, which might be recyclable. He firmly believes that none of it’ll finally end up in landfills. “The paper and steel used may also be given to the scrap broker,” he informs.
Sarvangi Arts stays Sandesh’s hobby mission, at the same time as he continues his full-time process. Within the months main as much as the competition, he dedicates his evenings and weekends to the trade, steadily running till 11 or 12 pm every night time.
Dealing with all the production procedure himself, Sandesh has additionally secured a design patent for his Paithani Pankha design. He hopes to capitalise in this patent within the coming years by way of scaling up manufacturing for mass production.
Lately, Sandesh provides 10 designs at 3 value issues: Rs 3,200, Rs 4,100, and Rs 5,000. This yr, the Shahi Lakhota design used to be the bestseller, promoting out a month sooner than Ganesh Chaturthi. Having a look forward, he hopes to enlarge into house decor and introduce further pooja pieces beginning subsequent yr.
“I need other people to have a good time consciously and imagine the environmental affect in their festivities. I am hoping that they reuse the decorations for so long as imaginable,” he says.
Edited by way of Pranita Bhat, Pictures Courtesy Sandesh Gaonkar