A Pandal With A Playful Purpose, Shivamogga Traders Use Sports Theme To Fight Screen Addiction

Shivamogga: In Shivamogga, the APMC Traders' Association has created a unique Ganesha pandal with sports themes to combat children's screen addiction. Unlike previous years when mythological or agricultural themes were considered for pandal decoration, this year's focus is on an array of sports equipment. This theme was selected to encourage and increase the involvement of children in the ceremony so that they spend some time in outdoor activities rather than being riveted to handheld mobile sets and televisions. The pandal, which was crafted by artisans from Bengaluru for a cost of Rs 5 lakh, features a wide variety of sporting goods. Modern sports equipment like cricket bats, balls, badminton rackets, table tennis gear, chess boards, and carrom boards was used. Ancient items from traditional games like alagunimane, chinnidandu, goli, pagade, and lagori balls were also artistically used for visual effects. Considering the craze for stars like cricketer Virat Kohli, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) cup was used as a major attraction, along with hundreds of colourful balls covering the idol. After the festival concludes, the organizers - the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Traders' Association, plan to donate the sports equipment to government schools, orphanages, and underprivileged children. Talking about the initiative, Shivakumar, Committee Director, said: "For the last three years, we have been celebrating the Ganesh festival differently. Last year, we installed Ganesha under an agriculture-related theme. We decorated Ganesha with vegetables, corn and sugarcane." He continued: "This year, the idea of installing Ganesha under a sports theme came to us. And after the Ganesha is immersed, we intend to give the sports goods to government school children, poor children and orphanages." Shweta, a visitor to the pandal, said: "Today's children are not familiar with many of these sports equipment. Children are immersed in their mobile phones. So they are happy to see the items here. The play equipment here is like an exhibition that we show to children. We are showing and telling the children about the toys we played with. Items that encourage children are kept here." Kavya, another visitor, said: "The organizers have decorated Ganpati very well with a sports theme. This is my second visit here. Most of the games are shown in one place. Here, parents and children can see all the games in one place. It is really happy news that the committee has announced to hand over the game equipment used here to government school children". Chandrashekhar Jawali, another visitor, said: "All the sports equipment of our time and the present time has been arranged here. It is amazing. Many people do not know about the games shown here. I am happy that the APMC Adake Varthakar Sangha has installed Ganpati under an interesting theme." Also Read