A sack of this compost contains a little more than the usual nutrients for a “healthy soil”. Apart from earthworms and mulch, it is the “divinity” attached to the compost that sets it apart. So much so that the Shakthi Mahaganapathi Temple in Kalyan Nagar is marketing it as “holy compost” (madi gobbara in Kannada).
This is the compost of only flowers used on the deities at the temple and is sold at a premium, nearly six times the price of regular compost. The “zero waste” temple installed leaf composters for flowers, along with drum digesters for kitchen waste in June 2016. Recently, nearly three tonnes of compost were harvested at the temple.
Zero-waste practices
Ashok Betraj, temple trustee, said the temple earlier struggled to manage the waste generated after every puja and annadana (where devotees are fed free meals). “The meals and prasad were distributed in arecanut plates, which are difficult to dispose. These started accumulating in one portion of the temple and stench emanated from there. That is when we decided to switch to ‘zero waste’ practices,” he said.
To begin with, the temple spent ₹85,000 on installing leaf composters and drum digesters. A devotee donated reusable cutlery that is now used for the annadana. “Those who partake in the annadana wash the plates they have used and put it in a drum filled with hot water.” The temple started asking devotees to bring their own containers for the prasad. It also started accepting money for milk abhisheka, instead of milk packets. “We wanted to desist the use of plastic. The temple trust tied up with a person who delivers fresh milk,” he said.
These tough decisions have helped the temple come a long way. It was able to market the compost and sell it at a premium. While the cost of a kilo of regular compost ranges between ₹1.50 and ₹4 a kg, the “holy compost” was sold at ₹25. This way, the temple earned around ₹40,000 as return over investment. “Next year, we hope to break even,” Mr. Betraj said.
This is not the only temple in the city to adopt good waste management practices. Over 12 temples in H.S.R. Layout, two in Sripura, Seshadripuram, and St. Andrew’s Church on Cubbon Road have also installed leaf composters.
Shanthi Tummala, member of the Solid Waste Management Round Table, said volunteers were mulling over installing another leaf composter at a temple in H.S.R. Layout, as “one is not enough.” However, she clarified that the compost generated from the temples in H.S.R. Layout was not sold. It was distributed free of cost to anyone who wanted it.
That apart, leaf composters have been installed in Koramangala, H.S.R. Layout and Vasanthnagar. Volunteers adopt these leaf composters and oversee the composting. The compost is then used locally in the neighbourhood parks.
