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” Ganpati Bappa Moriya, Pudcha varshi loukar ya!!! ” One can hear these lines which means “Hail Lord Ganpati, come soon again next year” in each and every street of Mumbai during the spectacular celebration of Ganesh Utsav. Ganesh Utsav is a Hindu festival
celebrated throughout India as the Birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha who is believed to be powerful enough to eliminate all obstacles and bestow good luck. Though, it is celebrated elaborately in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Goa. But every year, Mumbai hosts one of the biggest Ganeshotsav celebrations in the city. Lord Ganesha is the patron deity of Maharashtra and over 50,000 idols are commissioned in Mumbai in 2015. This alone is enough to explain the spirit of Mumbai in celebrating the festival with great devotion and faith.
1. History behind the Celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi
- According to historians, Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations were initiated in Maharashtra by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja to promote culture and nationalism in his people.
- The festival got fresh breath when Bal Gangadhar Tilak brought back the tradition of Ganesh Chaturthi from private family celebrations into a grand public event to build unity among people from all backgrounds and to put a fight against Britishers.
- Since then, this festival has been celebrated throughout India with great enthusiasm and participation with more and more people joining the processions every year.
- With the independence of India in 1947, Ganesh Chaturthi was proclaimed to be a national festival.
2. Beginning of Celebrations!!!
- The festival is celebrated on the fourth day of the Bhadrapada month according to Hindu calendar which falls in late August or early September.
- This festival lasts for 9 to 10 days in which starting day is called Ganesh Chaturthi and ending day is called Anant Chaturdas.
- The preparations for Ganesh Chaturthi starts several months before in advance in order to make giant idols of lord Ganesha.
- Artisans from all over the state of Maharashtra come to Mumbai to do this auspicious work. They make beautiful and huge idols to be worshiped in pandals or in private ceremonies.
- Travelers love to see the creation and decoration process of idols in huge factories of Mumbai. Various competitions are organised by communities for awarding the biggest and the best statue of Lord Ganesha.
3. Ganpati Sthapana!!!
- In Mumbai the installation of Lord Ganesha is performed during Madhyahana Kaal on the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi as it is believed that Lord Ganesha was born in Madhyahana Kaal.
- During these 11 days, whole city is colorfully decorated and the the face of Lord Ganesha is covered which is revealed by the priest as the puja begins.
- The arrival of Lord Ganesha starts with soaring chants and traditional drum beats followed by ceremonies performed to invoke the Lord’s presence in the idol.
4. Food During The Festival!!!
- No festive occasion is complete without sweets and so is Ganesh Chaturthi.
- Modak and Ladoo are Lord Ganesha’s most favorite food. As a result these are the important offering to Lord Ganesha. Traditionally, modak has sweet stuffing made from coconut and jaggery.
- Puran poli stuffed Indian bread. Outer layer in made from whole wheat flour (atta) and stuffing is made from lentil-jaggery. Maladu ladoos made with roasted gram flour.
- In Mumbai Satvik food is eaten during these days like dal, varan bhat, usal, rice poori, pooris, potato sabzi, kheer, modak etc served on a banana leaf.
5. The “Ganpati Visrajan” !!!
Ganesh Chaturthi is such a festival that is celebrated in whole India with lot of excitement. But Mumbai has its own way of celebrating the Ganesh Utsav. It is Said that this was the belief of Famous freedom fighter “Shri Lokmanya Tilak ji” that this festival, in bad times will always help to bring the Indians together and save the Integrity in and one-ness . The Ganpati Visarjan in Mumbai is also special because of Mumbai’s location, next to several beaches. The Mumbai contributes, more than 150,000 statues in a year the number increasing each year. Mumbai celebrates Ganesh Utsav like none other festival throughout the calendar. The most important thing about the Ganesh Utsav of Mumbai is that people of Mumbai, at the immersion point, forget the living standards, cast, creed and color. Each one at the immersion venue becomes, one! A devotee to the deity!
With a hope that this Ganesh Utsav brings a lot of hopes and new beginnings to our life, Wiwigo wishes all out there a very happy Ganesh Utsav celebration.
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