Mumbai: With Ganesh Chaturthi just around the corner, BIG FM is all set to ring in the festivities with the 14th season of one of their marquee properties, ‘BIG Green Ganesha’. Through this initiative, the radio network has been reinforcing the necessity for environment conservation and sustainability by urging people to adopt eco-friendly practices while celebrating the festival. This year, keeping in mind the current pandemic norm, BIG FM introduces various activities for their listeners while driving across the point that one must celebrate the festivities in an eco-friendly manner.
While Ganesh Utsav is known for its mass public celebrations, owing to the pandemic, maintaining social distance and avoiding public gatherings is vital for the safety of people. Respecting the sentiments of the devout worshipers, BIG FM brings in digital celebrations in a socially distanced environment and will appeal to people to do online darshan through the network. Spread across 10 cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Indore, Jhansi, amongst other cities, over 10 days, BIG FM will bring ten Ganesh Aartis from India’s most famous Ganpati temples to the listeners’ home through their digital page. Taking the campaign a notch higher, BIG FM will also distribute seed Ganesha to their listeners in order to promote eco-friendly festival. These Ganesh idols, after performing puja, could be placed in the mud or in a big pot where the seeds will grow into a sapling. Making the initiative all the more engaging for listeners, BIG RJs will also share one interesting trivia of each temple on their digital page a day prior to the arti.
To keep the campaign engaging for their listeners, BIG FM RJs will interact with Pandits every day for 10 days on the importance of the festival. Each day will see a new theme for the RJs to interact on, while encouraging the listeners to follow and celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly and safe manner. These themes revolve around the need to celebrate by using only an eco-friendly Ganesh idol and immersing it in an artificial tank, saving energy, choosing natural and eco-friendly colours for one’s rangoli and decorations. Additionally eco-friendly themes such as avoiding plastic, refraining from noise pollution and advocating the pressing need to reduce, reuse and recycle will play an instrumental role in bringing out positive change.
Commenting on the initiative, Sunil Kumaran, Country Head – Product, Marketing & THWINK BIG, BIG FM, said, “Ganesh Utsav is one of the most-celebrated festivals in India and we wanted to ensure our listeners join in the festivities by giving them a combination of tradition and safety. BIG Green Ganesha is one of our oldest campaigns and its years of presence stands testament to the rise of eco-friendly practices. We have received an overwhelming support from our listeners on the initiative which has been gratifying for us. Through this, we hope to bring everyone together in welcoming the upcoming celebrations in a conscious manner and wish our listeners a very happy and safe Ganesh Chaturthi.”
The campaign also takes into consideration the unsung heroes who make the festival what it is. The pandemic has severely impacted the business of Ganesha idol makers, who depend on the festival season for their livelihood. Reaching out to these statue makers, BIG FM will also play the role of a mediator, broadcasting the story of the artists and helping them in their business through on-air mentions through ‘Har Murti Ki Kahani’. As the voice of the network, the network’s dedicated RJs will urge listeners to book murtis from these artists.
The campaign that laid its foundation from Mumbai in 2008 has now been adopted nationally over the years. Celebrating the festival in its own fun and unique style each year, Green Ganesha won accolades for its work over the years. All set for another landmark edition, BIG FM looks forward to a terrific 14!
