Unique Bharuch Ganesh idol made of 10k pills to spread health message

Surat: In the pharmaceuticals hub of Bharuch, the Shrijipuri Yuvak Mandal has crafted a unique eco-friendly Ganesh idol using 10,000 traditional medicine pills. The idol aims to spread awareness about Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Unani and Sidha, and promote a return to traditional healing practices.The mandal, located in Hathikhana Bazar, has been creating environmentally friendly idols for the past 34 years. "It is our tradition to convey messages through eco-friendly idols," Rakesh Bhatt, a member of the mandal told TOI. "While people spend heavily on allopathic medicines, we want to encourage them to rediscover traditional treatments. We used pills from Ayurveda, Homeopathy, and Unani, along with pepper, turmeric and isabgol, to showcase their strength. About 10,000 pills were used, costing Rs 4,500."The idol stands on a bamboo framework, with different pills used to form distinct parts — the mugoot from Unani pills, the right hand from Sidha, and the ears and legs from Homeopathy. In total, 10 varieties of pills were used.In a first, the mandal has also planned to distribute an ayurvedic concoction as prasad, which will flow from a kalash in Ganpati's hand. The idol will later be immersed in the sea near Bhadbhut.Bhatt added that promoting traditional medicine could help reduce dependence on allopathy and lower health costs.