Children showcase their talent in making Ganeshas

Students of Nalanda Vidya Niketan watch a Ganesha idol being made using paper and put in a swing made with a cloth tied at both ends to tiny plants, as part of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations on the school campus in Vijayawada on Saturday. Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar

It was an event which provided a platform to school children to showcase tradition tempered with pragmatism.

Making the best of an inter-school eco-friendly Vinayaka competition organised by Nalanda Vidya Niketan on the school campus on Saturday, children grabbed the opportunity to drive home the point that pragmatism must take precedence over ostentation, especially when it came to environmental protection.

Using eco-friendly material like cotton, leaves, leafy vegetables, pulses, vegetables, fruits, flowers and coconut shell, the contestants made myriad forms of Ganeshas in bright hues. A 12-ft high colourful statue of Ganesha placed on the school campus was an instant attraction.

The school headmistress M. Padmaja said that celebration of eco-friendly festivals was the need of the hour in view of the growing ecological imbalance. The increasing use of electronic gadgets by the current generation for comfort and luxury had been fuelling global warming.

She said that it was essential to protect the coming generations of human race from impending danger of physical and psychological ailments that could break out due to the indiscriminate use of material that could cause irrevocable damage to the environment.

A competition in power point presentation drew good response from students of various schools. Students of classes 1 to 3 were put in Category-I with a choice of topics between ‘Soil Erosion and Conservation’ and ‘How to Save the Last Drop’. Students of classes 6 to 8 formed Category-II with a choice between ‘How do Plants Help the Environment’ or ‘Green Products’ and Category-III students (Classes 9 and 10) having to present a PPP either on ‘Green Engineering’ or ‘Eco Tips for a Safe Environment’.

Later, primary kids distributed clay idols of Ganesha made by them in the neighbourhood along with a pamphlet which spoke about the significance of an eco-friendly festival.

School Correspondent A. Vijay Babu said inculcation of ethics formed part of the school’s endeavour to impart a holistic education to the students.