Guntur: Ahead of the Ganesh festival, a major initiative promoting environmental conservation in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, has created a record. Under the ‘Green Ganesh’ programme organised by the Guntur Municipal Corporation, 25,000 students from 55 schools across the city came together to make Ganesha idols from clay. The collective effort has been entered into the World Book of Records, London.
The objective of the programme was not merely to create a record. Through the initiative, organisers sought to educate children about celebrating festivals in an environmentally friendly manner and raise awareness about the environmental impact of idols made from Plaster of Paris and chemical colours. According to the Guntur Municipal Corporation, the initiative was aimed at taking the message of environmental conservation to thousands of families.
25,000 Students Make Ganesha Idols Together
The Guntur Municipal Corporation organised the programme under the ‘Nava Guntur’ initiative. Students from different schools across the city participated together and made Ganesha idols using clay. The participation of 25,000 students from 55 schools was the biggest highlight of the programme.
The Municipal Corporation had been preparing for the initiative in advance. According to an official social media update by the Guntur Municipal Corporation, there were plans to make eco-friendly clay Ganesha idols with more than 25,000 students on September 11 and get the initiative registered in the World Book of Records.
The children made the idols themselves as part of the programme. This connected the preparation for the Ganesh festival not only with a religious activity but also with creative and environmental education.
Name Entered in the World Book of Records
After the programme was completed, according to available reports, the achievement was officially entered into the World Book of Records. Elias, Joint Secretary of the World Book of Records, London, announced the official recognition of the achievement at the event.
The record is significant for Guntur because it involved a large number of schoolchildren rather than a single artist or a limited number of participants. The participation of 25,000 students turned it into a large-scale community and educational campaign.
The official website of the World Book of Records also presents the organisation as an institution that documents and recognises record achievements.
The Real Purpose of ‘Green Ganesh’
During Ganesh Chaturthi, a large number of Ganesha idols are installed in several parts of the country. These idols are immersed after the festival. There have long been concerns about the impact of the materials used in idols on water bodies and the surrounding environment.
Environmental concerns have particularly been raised over idols made from Plaster of Paris. In addition, some chemical colours used on idols can also contribute to water pollution.
In comparison, idols made from natural clay are promoted as an environmentally friendly alternative. Guntur’s ‘Green Ganesh’ programme attempted to take this idea to children.
Guntur Municipal Corporation Commissioner K. Mayur Ashok said the objective of the programme was to create awareness among the younger generation about protecting the environment while celebrating festivals. According to him, through the initiative, the Municipal Corporation conveyed the message of environmental conservation on a large scale along with creating a record.
Environmental Message to Reach 25,000 Families
The impact of the campaign is not considered limited to the students who participated in the programme. The Municipal Corporation estimates that the clay idols made by the students could help keep 25,000 families away from idols made with Plaster of Paris and chemical colours.
In other words, the idol made by a student will become part of the Ganesh festival at their home, while also taking the message of an environmentally friendly celebration to the family.
This model is important because instead of only educating children about the environment through speeches or awareness programmes, they were directly involved in the activity. By making idols from clay, they experienced first-hand that Ganesha idols can also be prepared using traditional and natural materials.
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An Attempt to Connect Children With the Environment
Various campaigns have been organised across the country to connect schoolchildren with environmental conservation. Guntur’s programme can also be seen as a collective initiative in the same direction.
When environmental education is connected with a festival or local tradition, its message can become more practical for children. Ganesh festival is already an occasion of enthusiasm for children and families. In such a setting, making a clay idol becomes a direct way of helping them understand environmentally friendly alternatives.
In Guntur, the initiative was not limited to idol-making but was also linked with large-scale collective participation.
Programme Linked to the ‘Nava Guntur’ Initiative
The Green Ganesh programme was part of the ‘Nava Guntur’ initiative. Earlier too, several plans have been emphasised in Guntur to make the city greener and improve its environmental conditions.
In July 2026, while launching the ‘Green Guntur’ and ‘Nava Guntur’ initiatives, Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Dr Pemasani Chandrasekhar had emphasised large-scale plantation, increasing green spaces and environmental conservation in the city. At the time, Guntur was said to have around 7.2 per cent green cover, with a target of planting 1.20 lakh saplings.
The ‘Green Ganesh’ programme can be viewed in the context of this broader environmental campaign. On one hand, there are efforts such as plantation and reducing plastic use, while on the other, there is an attempt to celebrate religious festivals in an environmentally friendly manner.
Beyond the Record, the Message of Environmental Conservation
The most important aspect of the Green Ganesh programme is not only that 25,000 students participated or that it found a place in the World Book of Records. Its larger significance lies in connecting a traditional religious festival with the message of environmental conservation.
A record may remain in the news for some time, but the use of clay idols, reduction of water pollution and the habit of celebrating festivals responsibly can have a longer-term impact.
If parents, schools and local communities also remain consistently involved in such campaigns along with children, environmentally friendly festivals will not remain limited to a single event. They can become a sustainable practice at the local level.
Initiative of 25,000 Children Delivers a Big Message
The participation of 25,000 students from 55 schools in Guntur in making clay Ganesha idols together is, in itself, a large-scale collective effort. Being entered into the World Book of Records has also given the initiative formal recognition.
But the real significance of this achievement lies in the message that organisers want to take from children to households: ‘Faith in the Ganesh festival and environmental conservation are not in conflict with each other.’
By making clay idols and making them part of the celebration, thousands of children in Guntur conveyed the message that even small changes in the way festivals are celebrated can make a big difference to the environment. This is why ‘Green Ganesh’ is being viewed not just as a record, but also as an environmental awareness initiative driven by children’s participation.
