Appreciative devotees with the new Mayapur Green and Clean recycle bins.

Mayapur Clean & Green, an environmental initiative led by Murari Mohini Devi Dasi, has embarked on a mission to strategically position 108 Mayapur Clean and Green recycle bins throughout the whole of Mayapur.

MC&G has already successfully placed 20 bins around the Holy Dham. Murari Mohini said, “Every home, every shop, every building needs to have one of these bins. It should be available in all the ghats of Mayapur, including all the homes and buildings.”

Beginning with the sacred expanse of Mother Ganga, these bins are now placed in neighborhoods that have embraced the initiative. The temple’s sacred pujari room, dedicated to Sri Sri Radha Madhava, now also has a bin for the disposal of plastics in which the fragrant flowers arrive.

Adorned with trilingual stickers—English, Bengali, and Hindi—proclaiming “Mayapur is our Home, and Ganga is our Mother,” these bins include icons identifying the disposability of specific waste types. Notably, these bins help eliminate large amounts of plastics and wrappers from riverboats. Murari expressed, “Before trash cans were placed, persons cleaning their boats would normally throw all the garbage in the river. That was very sad to see.”

More and more businesses and neighborhoods are requesting these bins that are so well-designed and artistically painted. Murari Mohini Devi Dasi shared, “One of our friends, Nilambari Mataji, and her family have created a new design for the bin. They are artists, and the new design is clearer, with separate icons for glass, plastic, and metal waste. It is looking more professional, and people are using it more and more.” 

The educational foray extends to local schools, like Mayapur Shishu Niketan on Taranpur Road and Brahmapukur, fostering eco-sensitivity among children and school custodians. Trees have taken root in tandem with these bins, displacing the erstwhile practice of burning garbage.

Murari added, “Earlier, there was a landfill near Mayapur Institute, but it has become a green place again with the coming of one of these bins after it got sponsored by someone. We have also created a compost waste for the kitchen waste. All the waste coming from Mayapur Institute is separated, and we clean it regularly every week.”

Notably, these bins find sanctity even in sacred spaces like Jagannath Das Babaji Samadhi in Nabadvip Dham. The Mayapur Clean and Green team has put these bins in local schools like Mayapur Shishu Niketan School on Taranpur Road and in Brahmapukur. 

Antiminen Prabhu from Siberia, who has recently joined as a part-time volunteer for Mayapur Clean and Green, said, “I used to be an eco-activist and have a good experience. When I met Murari Mataji, she explained everything and how she needed help with cleaning, specifically more manpower and financial support. We need to attract more attention from people in this matter. These metal recycling bins are doing that since they attract people.”

He continued, “We are talking about making Mayapur Clean and Green a legal official NGO. With small steps, we are doing a lot every day. I am getting more eco-activists also, and I am writing articles in the telegram group to make people aware.”

Testimonials from Volunteers

One volunteer named Raseshvari Devi Dasi, who has been living in Mayapur with her family for about two years, helped the Mayapur Clean and Green team for some time. She spoke about her experience, “When I met Murari Mohini Mataji and her project, I immediately felt the desire to do my part, even if it is only a small contribution. I firmly believe that taking care of the environment is everyone’s responsibility. All residents of the Holy Dham of Mayapur, in their own small way, should do something to protect this unique and special place.”

Raseshvari continued, “I thought of starting from my daily actions, and I committed myself to proposing to the owner of the building where I live separate waste collection through a collection system designed by Murari Mohini Mataji. The owner was immediately supportive, and so together with Shyama Mohita Mataji, who lives in the same building, we started a fundraiser. We raised awareness among our condominiums on this very important issue. After raising the necessary funds, I went with my husband and Murari Mohini Mataji to the blacksmith to order the bins to collect the plastic, metal, glass, and paper. Then, we had them painted green and applied stickers in English and Bengali to indicate which material to put in the bin. Separate waste collection seems to work, although there is certainly a need to educate people on how to separate and why it is so important to do so. I want to thank Murari Mohini Mataji for her tireless commitment and inspiring example of simple living.”

Another devotee, Tulasi Devi Dasi said, “The reason I got involved with the project is because I met Murari Mohini Mataji in Hawaii when we were both living there. She is so inspiring. She took up this project when she moved to Mayapur. I was here in Mayapur for a very short time, but it was very kind of her to invite me to contribute to this project. So, I went with her one day, and we cleaned the Ganges and collected water for purification. It was a wonderful experience. It was very organized. We had a few helpers to transport the water and tools for cleaning. So, she made it convenient for us newcomers to join in the activities. She showed us how she recycles and plants trees and spoke about other educational projects. She has a special talent for engaging people and building enthusiasm. Hopefully, I will come back again someday and do more.”

Follow and Donate

You can follow their service on social media platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp. If you have questions, please email.

To contribute, visit their new donation page and follow the instructions there. Most importantly, is to select “Mayapur Clean and Green” from the dropdown menu (see screenshot below).