Immersion of worship idols in rivers and lakes etc. after puja

Disposing of the worship idols (usually made of clay) in water (sea, rivers, lakes and ponds) after seasonal pujas, worships and festivals needs to be reexamined. Spiritually, monetarily and environmentally, it will be more appropriate for the devotees to have worship idols made of durable materials (brass etc. instead of clay) so that they can be reused and recycled.

First of all, spiritually (and sentimentally perhaps), the idea behind the practice of immersing a worship idol in water, after its ritualistic use is over, might be based on the custom of putting the human remains (ashes) in ground (or water) after death. The original thinking probably was (when this practice began) that if the deity is invoked for symbolic worship (worship using a symbol, e.g. an idol in human form), then the disposal of that symbol / idol after the completion of
worship or puja (following the de-invocation) would be in the same manner as the disposal of human body after it completes its life (or dies), i.e. in water or ground. 

Unfortunately, these two situations (the de-invoked worship symbol or idol and the deceased human body) are not alike. For example, the human body is made of biological mass and tissue etc. and it starts degrading and decomposing as soon as it dies. Therefore, human body needs to be cremated immediately after death or completion of life cycle. Conversely, the worship symbols and idols made of clay (or metal) do not undergo material decomposition and degradation when their use in puja is over and the de-invocation has taken place. Thus there is no need to discard or dispose the worship symbols (idols) in water afterwards. In fact, they can be easily and safely stored after the de-invocation and reused again  (following the re-invocation) when the next puja arrives. Anyway, there is no loss or reduction in spirituality and devotion if the idols for worship are made from metal (usually harder and more durable than clay) and they are used and reused in pujas.  

Secondly, it will lead to a huge saving of money for the devotees if they reuse and recycle the worship symbols / idols without throwing them in water at the end of puja. That way, they will not be required to purchase a new idol every year and for each puja. 

Lastly, the clay used in worship idols / symbols is solidified and hardened (sometimes by firing) and it does not dissolve and disappear in water quickly and easily. This leads to a serious and long term problem of environmental pollution when idols made of clay are dumped and discarded in water. There is the unnecessary filling and clogging of seashores, rivers, lakes and ponds etc. with objects made of soil / clay. This also leads to the unpleasant sight of broken and abandoned clay idols lying scattered along the sea, rivers, lakes and ponds etc. Is it not ironic that the symbols and idols which are used before for worship are later abandoned and allowed to lie scattered (in whole or pieces) indefinitely in full public view in and near the bodies of water (lakes etc.)? All these problems and issues, related to the environment, will be resolved easily if the worship idols for seasonal pujas and festivals are made from metal (brass etc.) and are reused and recycled (without being abandoned and discarded in sea, rivers, lakes and ponds at the end of puja season).

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By: Dr. Subhash C. Sharma
Email: lamberdar@yahoo.com
Date: Sept. 30, 2011
Ref.: Immersion of worship idols in rivers and lakes etc. after puja
http://lamberdar.hubpages.com/hub/idol_immersion

I wrote this blog around puja time eight years ago on 'hubpages' after I saw in a magazine the photographs of a Ganesha idol broken into pieces and scattered all over the beach (in and out of water).

It seemed the devotees had left the idol in water in sea during high tide about a week or so earlier. About a week later, as the water receded during low tide, it showed all the change and disintegration the idol and gone through, including having its pieces scattered / dumped all over. Not really a pleasant sight by any means for your object (symbol) of worship, aesthetically, environmentally and spiritually!

I also received elsewhere the following comments (1, 2 & 3) to this write-up,

(1) "Maximum number of pujas are organised in public places, parks and on road sides. These are called Barowari Pujas. In Kolkata itself as on date their number is approximately 2500. If these idols are made of any non decomposing material storing them after pujas will be practically impossible."

(2) "Further keeping in mind the religious sentiments associated with the puja ritual a appropriate practical and workable solution has been implemented by the Administration of Varanasi and in my opinion all the localities on the banks of rivers should implement the same at the earliest as a river pollution control measure."

(3)The use of nondisposable idols, not made from clay, will result in enormous loss of livelihoods.

My response to the above listed below:

Good point on the difficulty in storing large number of huge idols made from non-decomposable (reusable / recyclable) materials (brass etc., unlike clay).

Perhaps there is an opportunity for some enterprising businessman to start a commercial storage facility to house the non-perishable idols during off-season. Although this will cost money to devotees (puja participants / organisers) for storing non-clay idols, the storing fee will be more or less the same (even less probably) than what they currently end up paying in effort, money and time in creating new idols made from clay every year. The collections and donations of money which currently finance the disposable clay idols will also easily cover the storage fee for non-perishable idols.

In addition, there will be reduction in the harmful paint etc. from clay idols ending up in rivers, ponds, lakes and sea as the use and immersion of disposable idols made from clay is stopped and in their place the reusable / recyclable idols (made from brass etc., not requiring water immersion / disposal) are used.

There will also be big savings on money and effort to clean, clear and declog water sources (especially rivers, ponds and lakes) when the use and immersion of clay idols stops and instead the reusable / recyclable idols (made from brass etc., not needing immersion) are used in worship / puja.

Finally, about the reduced earnings for some artisans if the disposable clay idols are stopped in pujas, note we are now at a stage when we have to give priority to the environment and its long-term condition from our actions. If some seasonal workers get displaced and might be required to do something else while society focuses on environment, let it be so; the society probably will be better off helping the seasonal workers in other ways rather than having them continue doing the things which add to environmental woes.