Community trust links devotion with environmental action ahead of festival
Mangaluru: A local community initiative is urging devotees to observe Nagara Panchami this year without single‑use plastics, organisers said, seeking to align religious observance with environmental responsibility ahead of the festival season.
The campaign, led by Sri Ambamaheshwari Seva Trust under the banner ‘Awake Kudla’, aims to reduce the thousands of plastic bags typically used to carry offerings and distribute thambila prasada, organisers said. The effort is being implemented in selected model wards and at prominent temples across the city.
General secretary Umanath Kotekar described Naga Panchami as a festival closely connected with nature worship and said the campaign draws on that association to encourage behavioural change among devotees.
“Naga Panchami is essentially a celebration of nature. People connect to the environment through devotion.”
Campaign coordinator Puneeth Poojary said a five‑member team had been deployed at various places of worship to coordinate the initiative. Volunteers are distributing brochures to temple managements and circulating digital appeals through WhatsApp groups and social media platforms to reach devotees before the festival.
- Target areas: model wards of Mangaladevi, Hoige Bazaar and Bolar, and prominent temples in the city.
- Volunteer activities: on‑site coordination, brochure distribution, digital outreach and liaison with temple authorities.
- Behavioural requests: devotees urged to carry cloth bags and steel containers; priests requested to hand prasada directly into devotees’ hands if reusable containers are not brought.
Local reach, temple practices and plans for expansion
The trust has sought the support of Mangaluru City South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath to expand the campaign’s reach, organisers said. They indicated a desire to replicate the model for other festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi and Dasara if the initiative gains traction during Naga Panchami.
Organisers emphasised two principal strategies: reducing the distribution of prasada in plastic packaging and encouraging devotees to bring sustainable containers for offerings. Temple priests and managements have been approached with requests to alter distribution practices where feasible.
| Area | Primary activity |
|---|---|
| Mangaladevi ward | Brochure distribution, on‑site volunteer coordination |
| Hoige Bazaar ward | Digital appeals and liaison with temple managements |
| Bolar ward | Volunteer deployment at temples, awareness drives |
The Sri Ambamaheshwari Seva Trust has an established record in community initiatives, the organisers noted, listing prior involvement in education, healthcare, environmental conservation and employment generation projects. They said this festival‑centred approach seeks to connect environmental stewardship with local cultural and religious practices.
While organisers did not provide exact numbers, they highlighted that thousands of plastic bags are typically used during such rituals, a volume they intend to cut through public awareness and changes in handling of offerings.
Campaign coordinator Puneeth Poojary said volunteers and temple contacts would encourage immediate alternatives such as cloth bags and steel containers, and request priests to distribute prasada directly into devotees’ hands where reusable containers are unavailable.
If the drive proves effective during Nagara Panchami, the trust plans to widen the effort to include upcoming festivals, thereby attempting to institutionalise reduced plastic use in ritual contexts across the city.
Organisers are relying on grassroots engagement and cooperation from temple administrations rather than formal regulatory measures, reflecting a community‑driven approach to festival waste management in coastal Karnataka’s largest city.
