Diwali is approaching and one needs to have a happy and safe festival as well. Particularly in the times of COVID, all the more reason to be cautious. 35-year-old Kailash Mahakur of Charpali in Odisha has come up with a unique way to have an eco-friendly Diwali.?
What is his solution? Cow dung diyas. Yes, you read that right.?
As per a report in The New Indian Express, his initiative is the focus of attention as it is an alternative to using clay or soil to make diyas. He owns a dairy farm and hopes to make use of cow dung in a sustainable manner. He has reared 8 cows for this purpose.?
He got the idea after watching a video on the internet and then there was no looking back.?
Right now 13 people are under him making the diyas.?
¡°Each of them earns around Rs 200 by working for 5 to 6 hours daily. On average more than 5,000 diyas are made every day. I sell these diyas at a nominal Rs 30 for 30 pieces. Usually, diyas made of clay are hard to dispose of. However, the cow dung diyas burn into ashes once they run out of oil,¡± he said.?
¡°Majority of the cattle farmers rear hybrid jersey cattle for the purpose of getting milk. However, they are unaware of the utilities they can derive from indigenous breeds of cow. Cow dung and urine of the indigenous breed can be used in various ways which I have been experimenting for the last several years,¡± he added.
He is getting orders from the districts of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda and Deogarh. After Diwali, Kailash has plans to supply several temples in he region.