Come September 14th and it is time to welcome one of the most popular Gods of the Hindu pantheon, Lord Ganesha. Also called Lord Ganapati, He is the Lord of Beginnings, the remover of obstacles and is worshipped before any task or endeavour. Ganesh Chaturthi is a day dedicated to the Lord and it is on this day that we worship him with utmost fervour, bring home His idol, prepare festive delicacies and offer it to the Lord. Given that it is a special occasion, it is also a time to get your house ready for all the celebrations. Well, you do not have to do anything rather dramatic or drastic to give your home a festive look. With small tweaks and minor changes, you can give your abode a quick makeover. Read on to find out more.
The first step is to have an elevated platform or mantap ready for your Ganesha idol. Set this up in a corner where you have some space, it could be a corner of your living room or even your pooja room. Try to have the mantap in the north east or east direction. “The focus of the festival is centred around the Ganesh idol–the way it is staged, adorned, placed on a pedestal and canopied under an umbrella. You can make use of rich textiles like silk adorned with fine embellishments like gold-foil motifs and embroidered foliage as a backdrop. Engraved wood pedestals, silverware and urlis come handy for display and decoration. Have a space at the lower level for an intricate rangoli which itself can become a showstopper” says Punam Kalra, Creative Director, I’m the Centre for Applied Arts.
A festive corner can be introduced without major changes in the overall layout in the home. “It can be set at an elevated level either as a platform or a step arrangement that creates different levels for pooja offerings and decorations. You can use existing tables to create the steps. The furniture can be grouped into clusters or made to face the idol in a theatrical layout to bring people together and make the ambience ideal for activities like bhajans. For larger gatherings, it is also ideal to make the most of the floor space. Think beyond traditional seating and include bolsters and floor cushions, perhaps a few low-set seaters like charpais that are light, woven, and completely feasible to move and store for later” adds Kalra. Lighting plays a key role and while you can have projection lights, natural lights like diyas, candles with statement holders or even hand-painted lampshades go a long way in enhancing visual interest.
There is a growing trend towards being eco-friendly and environmentally conscious in terms of decor. So, if you want to keep the entire set up sustainable, there are several simple ways to achieve the same. Use materials like banana leaves, flower streamers etc for the backdrop. Choose seasonal, local and garden-sourced flowers instead of the exotic varieties. “Plant-based decorations like hand-tied garlands or even handcrafted origami birds and animal decor in the place of plastic ones are good ideas. Using woven elements like wicker baskets as vases and jute mats as placemats are ecofriendly yet aesthetic choices” adds Kalra.
By following the principles of reduce and reuse, we can cut down on impulsive shopping and conspicuous consumption. “There is great joy in using things we already have. The nostalgia of the old is finding a way to coexist with the new, thereby making the idea of mixing metals back to trend. Wrought iron sconces light up rose-gold frames in the living while dull bronze decorations adorn chrome handles in the kitchen. Grounded textures are also coming to the mix with grained ceramics, plastered walls, terracotta pots etc. All these open up a meaningful side to the festivities. As for the colours, earthy tones like moss green, rust, taupe etc. are becoming a favourite of the minimalists while the bold hues of fuchsia, mustard, teal continue to be the bejewelled classics for the true Indian maximalists” adds Kalra.
