Riddhi Siddhi Mandal, based in JB Nagar, Andheri (E), in its 49th year, has taken a pledge to spread awareness about ‘Mental Health’ this Ganesh Utsav. They have made an interesting 15-minute live drama aptly named ‘Jiyo Jee Bhar Ke’ that showcases how mental health takes a toll on Mumbaikars and how people can make changes in their lives or seek help, if needed to manage it better.
Mumbaikars are generally peace-loving, but in recent times, there has been a general trend of people losing their patience easily, leading to rising incidences of suicides, road rage, tempers running high etc, which is a cause of concern.
This skit is a black comedy which starts with Lord Yama complaining about people’s increasing mental health issues and sometimes ending their lives abruptly, so he has to work overtime and pick up people whose time has not yet come. He teams up with two Mumbaikars – Munna & Circuit – and seeks help.
The duo gets into action and saves a young student who, with her impulsive behaviour and peer pressure, cannot face life. They also reach in time to rescue a person with a mid-life crisis who has fallen prey to the rat race and is about to jump off the Bandra sea link as he feels he has missed the purpose of life. The show ends with a psychologist giving tips on the importance of mental health and managing daily situations.
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This black comedy gives valuable life lessons on mental health to the audience in an entertaining way. Mental health harms not only the individual but also their family, professional life, and society. The suicide rate has doubled in the past 20 years despite the progress in the country, which is a cause of concern. Their live show is currently attracting a lot of crowds and is being highly appreciated.
Dinesh Chindarkar (one of the organisers) said, “Every year, we take up a social cause and create awareness around it. We hear so many incidences of people jumping off the sea link or even in front of local trains; it's time we sensitise the masses at large. While the stress levels have gone up, leading to anxiety and depression, there are ways to deal with them. Awareness is critical, and we need not hesitate to talk about it to our close ones or get help if needed. That is the message we want to drive through this skit. It's time that we talk about the subject openly and remove the taboo around it.”
The Mandal’s Ganesh Murti is also made of environmentally friendly and natural components. The Ganesh idol takes close to two months to produce as it needs a lot of time for drying and finishing.
Kiran Patel (one of the organisers) said, “Our Ganesh idol is made out of tissue paper, alum, and natural gum, making it environmentally friendly. The idol takes a long time and is challenging to create in the monsoon climate. But it is time that we all wake up to the reality of conserving our environment. We are also doing the visarjan locally in an artificial pond so as not to pollute the sea.”
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