O Lord Vinayaka! The remover of all obstacles, the son of Lord Shiva, with a form which is very short, with mouse as Thy vehicle, with sweet pudding in hand, with wide ears and long hanging trunk, I prostrate at Thy lotus-like Feet!

It’s that time of the year again! The entire city is draped in a colorful collage of myriad hues and is swaying to the musical mantra of Ganpati Bappa Morya! After keeping us waiting for a year long, the elephant headed and pot bellied, the very cute and charming Lord Ganesha is back in town! In a country like India which believes in the culture of ‘Guest is God’ (Atithi Devo Bhava), just try to picture the scenario when God Himself descends as one!!!

1st September – 12th September 2011 (Ganesh Chaturthi Festival):

Yes, one of my favorite festivals, the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival is already on the go! The festival marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the Lord of knowledge and wisdom, and falls on the bright fortnight of the Hindu calendar month of bhadrapada (August/September). It lasts for eleven days starting with the Lord’s arrival on the first day (Shukla paksha Chaturthi) and concluding on the 11th day (Ananth Chaturdashi) when the deity is immersed in water bodies symbolizing His journey back to His abode.

Although this is a festival that’s celebrated by Hindus throughout the country but no other city adores the deity in a way like Mumbai does! During the 11 day period, life in the city beats to the cadenced tunes of love, affection, and devotion and Vedic chants of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’ and 'Mangal Murthi Morya' resonate in the atmosphere. Hatches are buried, hugs and smiles take their place and people revel in the effervescent music of joy, togetherness and ecstasy.

Me living in Mumbai, It comes as no surprise that I have a great affinity for the festival and Ganesh pandal hopping in Mumbai forms one unique aspect of my celebrations. Your presence had made it a lot special for me last year, remember? And this year is no different, what with me still having the wonderful company in all of you!

Thus, once again, I present a two-part chronological series attempting to provide a photographic journey of Lord Ganesha on earth, this being the first one highlighting His arrival (Ganesha sthapna and Mumbai Pandal Darshan) and the second one showing His departure back to His heavenly abode in Kailash (Ganesh Visarjan).

So, pack your bags and bundle up your woes… Get ready to join me, as I embark on a yatra (pilgrimage) of a slightly different kind… The Festive Ganesh Yatra… And let’s together enjoy this spirited carnival!

The Journey Of Lord Ganesha on Earth

A Sarvajanik Ganpati pandal in a mumbai locality during Ganesh Chaturthi festival
A Ganpati pandal in a housing society in Mumbai during Ganesh Chaturthi festival

Huge canopied tents like these called as pandals come up in almost every other lane, society and locality beautifully created by neighborhood puja manadals (committees), and innumerable numbers of homes are cleaned and decorated with festoons and flowers to welcome the divine guest.

Artisans making the Ganpati idols for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival
An artisan carves out a Ganesha idol ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival

Ganesha idols of varying sizes are chiseled and given shape as part of Ganesh Chaturthi festival preparations.

The Ganpati idols being transported to shops - Ganesh Chaturthi Festival Mumbai
A fully sculpted idol being transported to one of the shops for sale

The Ganpati idols being stacked up beautifully in shops to be taken by devotees to homes and pandals
People purchasing Ganesh deities in a shop

These murthis (idols) are then transported to shops from where they are picked up by devotees. Smaller idols are placed in homes while the larger idols are placed in tents.

People purchasing Ganpati idols during Ganesh Chaturthi festival
A small girl affectionately adores her new guest

Finally on the D-Day, His birthday (the first day of the festival), He arrives amid songs, music, chants and dance. Priests breathe life in the idols by chanting of mantras and The Lord makes Himself comfortable in one of His temporary dwellings.

Mumbai Ganpati Pandals

For the next 11 days… He is quite a busy man, I must say! Life revolves around Him. Daily prayers and rituals are performed. He is the apple of everyone’s eye; He loves everyone and is loved by all. He is treated like a king, every need, every requirement of His, is well attended to and on the days of His departure (known as ‘Ganesh Visarjan’ and done on the 1 and a half, 5th, 7th and 11th days), He is given a grand farewell as well!

Ganpati pandal with flowers and garlands decoration
Ganpati pandal with flowers, garlands and coconuts decorationGrand Pandal of Lord Ganesha during Ganesha Chaturthi festival in Mumbai
Small idols of Lord Ganesha in Ganpati pandals
Complete Ganpati pandal decorations during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival
Ganpati pandal decoration
Ganpati idol with modaks and ladoos and flowers
Ganesh Pandal decorated with flowers and plants in Mumbai
Ganpati pandal decorated during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival
Huge Ganpati Idol in Pandal decorated beautifully
Huge Ganesh idol in a Mumbai pandal

Accessible to one and all, He soon gets down to His job of removing the obstacles (Vighnaharta) from people’s lives and hearing out their woes. Meanwhile, He also LOVES to gorge on ladoos and modaks (a type of sweet)… loads, loads, loads of them. Besides this, simple blades of grass or 'durva' also make Him happy. But if you don’t have any of this, no worries... a loving heart full of devotion and sincerity is just about enough to please Him and delights Him no end.

Related posts from Last Year -

Festive colors of Ganesh Chaturthi (Mumbai Pandals)

Goodbye Ganesha... Ganesh Visarjan