Celebration for a Cause: How a Ganeshotsav Decor in Mumbai is Serving the Needy for the Last Five Years

In a Malad home sits a Ganpati idol; actually rests in a comfortable position, for which the work started at least five months ago. The idol and its decor highlight 'sleep essentials'. Measuring two feet, the idol is not just adorned with the usual garland, modaks, but also blankets, pillows, bolsters, mattresses, cushions, and floor mats, and adding to those are some asan, chatai, and dari! "How does she come up with new ideas every time?" exclaims a visitor upon seeing the decor, referring to the mind behind it, while a group of women sit around the decor, talking about the efforts. 

As unique as it might sound, it is a work of welfare for the needy — these items are meant to be distributed to the poor people around Mumbai after the idol’s immersion. Renu Dhoot, a Malad resident and a teacher by occupation, has been upholding the essence of “creativity with purpose” during Ganeshotsav by distributing the items used in the decor to help the marginalised in her best way possible. 

For the last five years, she has decorated the idol only with the useful items to not just ensure zero wastage but also spread "joy beyond one home", as she says. "I have purchased these items costing me around Rs. 55,000," she says. While the idol is eco-friendly, even though made with clay, Dhoot has plans to immerse the idol in an artificial pond in Ramleela maidan close to her area, keeping up with the immersion guidelines laid down by the Bombay High Court last month.

Following a sustainable approach, the idol is simple. "Initially, I used papier-mache for the idols, but now it is clay. The embellishments of the idol are not the priority, but the simplicity of it is, along with a focus on the decor," she says, adding that she wanted to show "Bappa resting". However, that also does not mean she has not focused on the colour scheme. "Even if the products are meant to be distributed, I wanted it to follow a colour scheme," she further says, pointing at the red-yellow theme followed for the blankets, headrest and other items. No doubt, even Dhoot's outfit matches the theme, adding to the idea. 

A tradition that helped more than 1,500 people 

In the inception year, 2021, she came across a thoughtful decor that was meant to help society, and she could not help but come up with the idea of replicating the same. She maintained the decor of stationery like pens, pencils that were distributed to 80 children living in the tribal hamlets of Aarey Colony of Mumbai.

Subsequently, Dhoot decorated the place with biscuits, choco-pies and more the next year. "Some of my friends delivered the cartons of biscuits home, which multiplied the denoation," she says. These cartoons were distributed to more than 450 children in the villages of Palghar, closer to Mumbai. 

The subsequent year marked the grocery essentials, like flour, rice and spices. Dhoot and her team visited an old age home in Virar, Chembur and also donated the same to the homeless people adjacent to the highways. As per Dhoot, at least 100 people received the items, the stock of which could suffice for at least four months.

Last year, she collaborated with Shiksha Foundation to distribute personal care products like shampoo, soaps and more to around 650 children. "The cash received last year was used to purchase sanitary napkins as part of the theme, which was also distributed to the girls."

"We travel to the remote areas to serve the people, and while it is planned beforehand, sometimes, we donate as we come across homeless people who might require the products we have. Dhoot does not rely on the organisations but also keeps on talking to her guests and her househelp staff to understand the requirements. 

An ecosystem for donation 

The donation, however, is not merely dependent upon what Renuka Dhoot purchases; instead, it gets multiplied as her guests are requested to bring items related to the theme. “Instead of bringing fruits or sweets, we request devotees to bring products related to the theme of the year by writing the same on the invite,” she says, adding that this multiplies the donation and makes everyone a part of this noble cause. 

For the cash that is offered to the god, Dhoot mentions that it is converted into buying the same products that match the theme of the Ganeshotsav at her home. Pointing to the cash kept near the idols, she says, "After the immersion, we will carry out the process of distribution, and the cash will be used to buy the products." "It takes 15 days, from dismantling the setting to the segregation of the products before it is donated."

It is only the third day, and the entrance to her house is filled with a pile of blankets, mattresses and bedsheets that the guests have got as offerings and Dhoot, with a grin on her face, says, "See how it gets even doubled by the last day."  

As we talk at her house in the rainy afternoon today, where the Ganpati idol directly faces Mumbai's skyline visible from the balcony, Dhoot credits her initiative to be the reason her guests come from all around and have increased from 50 to 250-300 now.