The Ganesh idol in Maharashtra's Akola was made of currency notes worth Rs 21 lakh this year

A 12-feet tall Ganesh idol made of Indian currency notes worth Rs 21 lakh was a major centre of attraction for devotees in Maharashtra's Akola city during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

Divyang (differently abled) artist Tillu Tawri used currency notes in denominations of Re 1 and Rs 10, 100, 200, 500 and 2,000 for making Lord Ganesha's idol which was at the Veer Bhagat Singh Ganesh Utsav Mandal in Akola for the Ganesh festival.

Mr Tawri told news agency Press Trust of India that he made the idol in three days.

"This idol is completely eco-friendly and has been installed on a paper canvas with the help of stapler pins. All care has been taken not to damage any currency note," he said.

As notes worth Rs 21 lakh have been used in making the idol, police were guarding it round-the-clock, he said.

The 10-day long Ganesh festival concluded today, on the occasion of 'Anant Chaturdashi', with the 'visarjan' (immersion) of idols. But, since the Ganesh idol in Akola is made of real currency notes, it was not immersed in water, Mr Tawri said.

"Instead, we dismantled the structure and the currency notes will be handed over to the mandal authorities. This idol does not create any pollution," he said.

A large number of devotees have visited the pandal to catch a glimpse of the unique art work.

Mr Tawri said last year, he sculpted a Ganpati idol with 1,100 coconuts while in 2017, he created an idol out of different sports items like balls, cricket bats and racquets.

