Prominent abstract artist and philanthropist, Krupa Shah, has time and again made an impact on everyone with her artworks and social initiatives. A skillful artist and a mother of three daughters, has created a first-of-its-kind Navagraha Ganpati using Indian pulses and masalas including Wheat, Haldi, Ghee, Loung, Masurdal, Udad dal, Til, Dhaniya, and Gangajal. The Navagraha Ganpati is installed at her residence in the cultural hub of the city, South Mumbai, and will be immersed on the last day of the festival.
Each of the elements used to make this unique Navagraha Ganpati has its own significance. The wheat symbolizes Surya, Haldi represents Jupiter, Ghee represents Shukra, Gangajal symbolizes Chandra, Loung represents Shani, Masurdal represents Mangal, Udad dal signifies Rahu, the black and white til represents Ketu and dhaniya represents Budh. These 9 elements together have tremendous power that can help invite the blessings of the nine planets which give prosperity and wisdom to our soul and life.
Artist Krupa Shah, the creator of the first-of-its-kind Navagraha Ganesh idol, said, “We have been celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi for the last three years. But this time, my daughters and I wanted to do something different. Hence, we decided to make a unique Navagraha Ganpati out of Indian masalas and pulses. In Hindu Astrology, Navagraha’s means a person’s happiness, success, and all-round prosperity”
Besides this initiative, Shah has also been conducting workshops to teach school and college students the art of making Ganpati idols out of eco-friendly materials. Shah aims to diminish the harmful effects of Plaster of Paris (PoP) and toxic paints made with chemicals that create the largest amount of water pollution. She adds, “A small change or contribution can make a big difference.”
