Paint dried leaves, twigs, branches, beetle nuts and small rounded pebbles and use them for decoration.
Use biodegradable elements like bamboo, jute, cane, cork, coloured strings, hay and coir ropes, to decorate and build the temple or throne on which you will place the Ganesha idol. You can make the pillars using banana leaf with its stem or bamboo plants.
One can create a small vertical garden on one wall and use it as a backdrop for the Ganpati idol. Alternatively, you can place the Ganpati idol underneath a lovely bonsai tree which is placed in a shallow tray, lit up with fairy lights.
One can use beads, multi-coloured sheers or old dupattas, for decoration.
Use coconut shells as diyas or add turmeric powder to wheat flour dough and make yellow-coloured diyas.
Avoid plastics as they cannot be easily recycled. Instead, use cane baskets to keep the accessories for the puja.
Use cloth or small paper bags made from old newspapers and decorate it with dried flowers or fancy ribbons, to give away prasad.
Avoid thermocol plates and opt for bio-degradable options.
One can make a table lamp out of used bottles. Decoupage (the art of decorating a surface with paper cut-outs and using varnish (or glue) to cover the surface) can brighten the glass bottles for decoration.
Make torans and rangolis out of old card boxes, cloth flowers, discarded costume jewellery, glitter and pearls.
To illuminate the temple area, use fairy lights. These lights can also be placed in a corner or in a simple coloured glass jar, to add a unique décor element.
Before immersing the Ganesha idol, ensure that you remove the flowers, fabric and other decorative materials.
