Eco-friendly Deepawali: Surathkal man make diyas using cow dung

Mangaluru: Deepawali is known as the ‘Festival of Lights’ and is one of the most important Hindu festivals in India. Festival of Lights is celebrated to mark the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya along with Devi Sita and brother Lakshman after 14 years of exile (vanvaas). In a bid to promote eco-friendly traditional lamps this Diwali, Harikrishna, owner of Hechanna dairy has come up with cow dung diyas.

After quitting a well-paid job Harikrisha decided to start his own business and in tune with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of achieving self-reliant India, “atmanirbhar Bharat, he has been preparing diyas for Deepavali by using cow dung as raw material. He has also engaged 30 people in making and marketing the diyas who were struggling to sustain during the pandemic.

Harikrishna and team selling around 1000 diya ahead of Deepawali. Apart from cow dung diyas he also sells, homemade ghee and cow dung.

Apart from generating business opportunities, the use of cow-dung products will lead to a cleaner and healthier environment. With a call to boycott Chinese products, the Indian market has a golden opportunity to recover the economic crisis caused by the nationwide lockdown.

While these initiatives will be beneficial for nature; on the other hand, they will increase employment and will make them self-dependent.