Often, when the idols in the house are broken or the items of worship are collected, people throw them under a big tree, or in a river or lake. Because it is in our culture to immerse these things related to God in water and it has been happening for years. But do you know the truth behind immersion in water?
Tripti Gaikwad, a resident of Nashik says, “Idol worship has always had a special significance in our culture. After worship, there is a positive energy in those idols, which spreads everywhere by pouring it in running water. But this notion was for clay sculptures, which we also associate with modern sculptures. Many people started shedding idols as well as photo frames in the river.”
Hardly any of us would worship an idol of clay today. These days the finest sculptures are made using plaster of paris, thermocol, synthetic colors etc. People put pictures of their ancestors and God in big frames and when they become old or broken, they either keep it under a tree, or throw it in the river. By doing this, not only are we polluting the environment, but we are also disregarding God. But 33-year-old Tripti Gaikwad not only understood this problem, but also found the necessary solution for it.
He has been working in his organization for the last two years. Sampoornam By preventing old frames and broken idols from going into the water, making toys for poor children and nests for birds etc. In this way, he has helped about 2000 people and saved 10 thousand frames from going into the water.
One thought showed direction
Tripti is also a lawyer and Investigation Officer by profession. In the year 2019, he stopped a person from shedding a picture of God in the river, after which he felt that if explained properly, we can stop many such people. She says, “My house is near the Godavari river. One day I just went to the river to see the flood situation. Then I saw that a man came with some old frames and started throwing them in the river. I stopped him and explained that you can recycle this paper and frame wood and he agreed. That’s when I felt that if we help people recycle these things, then we can get very good results.
He talked to his friends about this idea and sent messages to people through social media that anyone who has broken sculptures and frames can give it to us to recycle. Within about 10 days, he was contacted by many people. She recycles this stuff she gets from people in a very unique way.
Plaster of Paris is machined from the fragmented sculptures and then used to make small toys. These toys are later given to the children of the poor community. This plaster of paris is mixed with cement to make a plate. Which is later used as a utensil for the birds to pick food and drink water.
While there, she gives the wooden frames to different factories to be recycled, and makes small nests and puts them in the nearby trees.
Collection centers built in many cities
Because our faith is also attached to these idols and pictures of God. Hence, Trupti first worships the idols, only then they are sent further for recycling. Uttar Puja means that God accepts our faith and our reverence attached to these idols. That is, it would not be wrong to say that Sampoornam, in a true sense, helps to completely recycle idols and photographs.
Tripti says that today many people from Pune, Nagpur and Mumbai have also joined us and all this has been possible through social media. At present, many people are helping him in collecting the idols and frames. While she herself does the work of Uttar Puja and Recycle. She charges Rs 50 per idol or picture to recycle.
In the end she says, “The modernity that has come in making idols of God, the same modernity we have to bring in recycling the broken idols and pictures of God. This is what we are trying to do through Sampoornam.”
You can contact here to know more about Sampoornam or Recycle Broken Idol and Photo Frames.
Editing – Archana Dubey
Also read: Vedic Plaster Made From Desi Cow Dung, Which Gives A Cool Feeling Even In Summer
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