BENGALURU: A new Guinness World Record has been created in Bengaluru. Giving a massive boost to an eco-friendly Ganesha festival, 2,138 people gathered at the National College Grounds to sculpt their own clay Ganesha and created the new record on Sunday. The event was organised by Shree Vidyaranya Yuvaka Sangha in a bid to promote the use of clay Ganesha idols this year.
Adjudicator Swapnil Dangarikar from Guinness World Book of Records, said, “The previous record was of 589 people sculpting with model clay. This event has broken all the records with 2,138 people gathering and the category which it comes under is ‘Most people sculpting with Model Clay’. We have certified the record. This is a great achievement and this initiative should continue as this is the need of the hour.”
People of all age groups from various areas in Bengaluru gathered to make their own clay seed Ganesha idols. Once the immersion of the clay idol is complete, the seeds will germinate and plants will grow out of it.
Seven-year-old Jeevitha Shree from SR Nagar said, “Though it is a Sunday, we came to participate in this because we wanted to make our own clay Ganesha. I will take the idol home and perform pooja on Ganesha Chaturthi.”
Two sculptors taught the participants how to make Ganesha which was streamed on 5 LED screens. There were 50 volunteers from Fine Arts College of Bengaluru, Mysuru and Chikkamagaluru who helped the people in sculpting. About 800 kgs of clay was bought from Pottery Town for the event with 5 kg of Tulsi seeds from Chikkamagaluru.
Chinmayer C from BMS College of Women who has spastic paralysis also participated. “We got to know about this event from our college. I enrolled myself as I wanted to learn how to make clay Ganesha so that every year I can do it myself. We must go eco-friendly on every festival,” Chinmayer said.
Director of Shree Vidyaranya Yuvaka Sangha Nandish S M said, “We have been celebrating Ganesha Utsav from the past 57 years and each year we make sure no plastic is used. I’m so glad we got such huge numbers and that Bengaluru made a record.
Mayor Gangambike
Mallikarjun and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) Chairman K Sudhakar attended the event and also sculpted an idol. “It is my first time at making a clay Ganesha and I really enjoyed making it. We even start feeling connected to it once we make our own.”