MP: How diyas made of flour are keeping Maa Narmada pollution-free in Omkareshwar
Khandwa: Mrs. Vijaya Joshi, a resident of Moratakka village near Omkareshwar in the Khandwa district, launched a unique initiative by establishing the "Maa Narmada Livelihood Self-Help Group." She decided to start a business manufacturing "flour lamps" (diyas made of flour). She believed that offering lamps in disposable plastic bowls leads to increased river pollution, thereby causing harm to the aquatic life inhabiting the sacred River Narmada. Driven by this conviction, and with a focus on environmental conservation, the women of the group began the task of crafting these flour lamps.
Govt Support and Market Access Provide Women with a New Identity
Through their self-help group, the women secured a loan of Rs 1.5 lakh to purchase a machine for manufacturing the lamps. Anand Sharma, the District Manager of the Rural Livelihood Mission, stated that the Mission is providing the women with essential guidance and support in the areas of packaging, marketing, and branding.
Eco-friendly alternative for devotees
The flour lamps crafted by the women of the group have been made available for sale at flower and grocery shops located at Khedighat in Moratakka. Consequently, devotees in the Omkareshwar and Moratakka regions who wish to offer lamps to Maa Narmada now have access to an eco-friendly alternative at a reasonable price.
Flour used to make the lamps serves as a source of food for the fish
Mrs. Vijaya Joshi, the group's president, explained that this initiative has yielded two primary benefits. First, the pollution caused by disposable plastic bowls has been significantly reduced. Second, the flour used to make the lamps serves as a source of food for the fish in the river.
Vijaya said that the act of offering lamps (Deepdan) holds special significance in religious scriptures. It is also widely believed that offering lamps in the traditional, scripturally prescribed manner—using flour lamps—helps fulfill the wishes of the devotees.