Nashik: A city-based Ganesh mandal has installed Ganesh idol made of one tonne copper.The Shreeraje Chhatrapati Samajik Sanskrutik Kala Krida Mandal of Old Tambat Lane has installed the idol, which is one of its kind.“This idol has been realized by the contribution of the members of the group. While the public donations have been utilized for the social works being carried out by the mandal,” says Rahul Barve, who heads the mandal.It began in 2006 when the members decided to build a metal statue of Ganpati.There are a number of idols of Lord Ganesh that have been built in gold or even silver. However, copper has its own importance as suggested in ancient science and Ayurved.“We therefore asked our members to contribute copper every year and thus collected 1,000 kg of the metal which was then used for construction of idol,” Barve said, adding that the mandal has been active for past 25 years.The six-feet idol taking the form of Laxmi-Ganesh, was conceptualized by noted astrologer late Jayant Salgaonkar and was readied by the year 2014.Since 2015, during the Ganesh festival the idol is brought and installed at Bhalekar Ground and after the festivities, the same is taken back to Old Tambat Lane, where it is worshipped through out the year.Speaking about the group and its members Barve said, the intention of the group was to mobilise social work and help the deprived elements of the society.During the past 25 years, the mandal has been active in conducting the blood donation camps and providing night shelters for the poor along with the help of Sant Gadge Maharaj Patsanstha on the banks of river Godavari.

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