Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations - Transcending Virtual Boundaries, Bringing Bloggers Together

India is a land of festivals and colorful celebrations continue the whole year round. There is never a month in the Hindu calendar that goes by without having a ‘Holy’ day marked on it. Every person has a unique way of celebrating them defined by one’s caste, culture, beliefs and traditions that one has grown up with. Even amidst this cultural diversity, each of these celebrations speak of bringing people together from different walks of life by strengthening bonds and relationships and insist on making life a merry carnival.

In an attempt to showcase this uniqueness and unitedness in the ongoing Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, this festive season My Yatra Diary opens itself up to 4 bloggers from different traditional backgrounds sharing with us their idea of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival celebrations…

Inspite of there existing cultural differences in their celebrations, read on to see how eventually, all 4 of them are bound together - by the same feelings of unity, of togetherness, feelings of faith, devotion and love for the God - in a single thread of commonness…

1. Anu Shankarn from A Wandering Mind

Location : Mumbai, Maharastra

Years and years ago, or so I have heard, my grand uncle used to go out to the garden and choosing a suitable spot, dig out some clay. He would then bring it in and pray to it before moulding it into an idol. The most prominent part of the resulting idol would be a long, curved trunk, which identified the idol as one of Ganesha – the Lord with the elephant face. This idol would be placed on our altar, special prayers would be conducted with flowers plucked from the same garden, and a feast would be prepared in his honour. The next day, the idol would be immersed in a bucket of water. The day after, the water would be poured back into the garden, thus completing a journey where it started from.

Traditional Ganesha idols made of clay

Gardually, things have changed and today we feel satisfied only if we have performed the puja (prayers) in the grandest way possible. However, over the last few years, I have been questioning myself about the reason we perform rituals, and have tried conscientiously to blend tradition with reason. One of my efforts in the last few years has been to slowly change the way we celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi by making my own idol. This year, my son joined in, and we succeeded in making a lot of Ganeshas. We used three of these for the puja – the main one was one I made specifically for the puja (the red coloured one), and two made by my son.

The three idols of clay made by us for the Ganesh puja this year

We used only Dhurva grass for the puja, and just a few flowers. The festival at our home lasts for 5 days, at the end of which we immerse our idols at a nearby lake along with many others from our colony. Not wanting to suddenly change the tradition, this year we immersed our main Ganesha with his usual companions. The other two we chose to immerse at home. Once the idols had crumbled and turned to clay, we poured the water into our back yard.

The main Ganesha idol decorated with red brick powder

known as Geru or chemman

Making our own idol is certainly an eco-friendly action, one which is sorely needed today. However, it is so much more! Making the idol with our own hands brought us so much closer to the Lord than ever before. For the first time, we were really aware of His presence in our house!

2.  Santosh BS from Huchchara Santhe

Location : Bengaluru, Karnataka

Festivities for us start a couple of days before when the house is cleaned and the mandaps (altars) erected for placing the idols. We carry a big bronze / copper plate filled with rice and a small idol of Gouri to get the Ganesha Gouri idols home singing devotional songs and ringing the copper bell. In early days, this was the most exciting part as everyone would jostle to carry the idol home, now Ganesha idol comes home in the comforts of a car/bike/auto!

The Ganesh and Gauri mandap in the house

The first day of the puja is for the ladies who perform the Gouri puja welcoming her to our homes and asking Her get Her Son too. The next day, all the male clan in the family are up early and get ready to perform the puja.

The deity of Goddess Gauri

Lord Ganesha decorated with blades of grass and flowers

On both days, the puja lasts for about 2 hours wherein the lord is decorated with flowers, 'Garike hullu' (grass to please Ganesha), sacred thread and offered sweets, milk and butter. Ganesha is worshipped with 21 knotted cotton garland, 21 kinds of flowers, leaves and 21 kinds of sweets of which the sweet ‘Kadubu’ is the main. After the puja, its feast time for the inmates of the house in a traditional manner on plantain leaf.

Rather than polluting the few lakes in Bangalore, it’s become a habit for us to immerse the lord in a huge bucket of water in a quiet corner in our home after offering our final prayers asking him to return to our household next year and bless us and clear all the obstacles in our path.

3.  Abhi from Be the Geek

Location : Mumbai, Maharastra

Being a Mumbaikar, I thoroughly enjoy celebrating the festival and have been doing that since childhood. As a kid, it used to give me immense pleasure to visit the various Ganpati pandals across the city, have a look at the colorful idols, their decorations and take part in the festivities. Of course, the prasad and the modaks given generously at every pandal was an added bonus too :)

A Sarvajanik Ganesh Pandal in Andheri

On a serious note, I feel festivals like these contribute immensely to the Indian culture and play a great role in unifying people. Seldom you see people from different backgrounds coming together and celebrating with such great fervor and enthusiasm.

4. merCury from FZed Chronicles

Location : Mangeshi, Goa

In our house, we worship the Ganesha idol for seven days. On the first day, the idol is unveiled, there are recitals of prayers and devotional hymns and it is respectfully placed in the garlanded throne. On that day, even luncheons are very special, consisting mostly of one of my all time favorite sweet dish - the Modaks. The next day is dedicated to the mount of Ganapati that is, the ‘Mouse’. So the lunch menu consists of another sweet - kheer - said to be its favorite. We have Satyanarayan Puja on one of the days and a puja called as ‘Amuktabharani’ on the fourth day dedicated to Lord Ganesh’s parents, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Deities of Lord Ganesha alongwith His parents Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati

After the stipulated days, comes the day of Ganesh Visarjan. Amid artis (hymns) and musical chants, the idol is is carried over the head along with its beautiful throne. There is a huge show of fireworks everywhere; Goa is a coastal region, sometimes rain still prevails till the time of Ganapati Visarjan, but it never affects the fervor of the devotees, people light crackers with an umbrella in one hand and sparkler in the other.

Dazzling display of fireworks during the Ganpati Visarjan

After the fireworks, the idols are taken to the lake for immersion. I know how I feel then. The atmosphere is sad, when we have to let Him go, the beautiful face, His soft smile remains imprinted on my mind for days to come, sometimes until I see Him again next year.

Ganpati Visajan taking place

Though I feel bad about the commercialization of the festival, I’m glad this urban assault has not reached the simple villages of Goa. People there respect their traditions a lot, more importantly they know the significance and purpose of those traditions, and I think only that awareness, will keep the same eagerness and excitement of the festival in years to come…

How do you celebrate the Ganesh Chaturthi festival? What are the various customs and traditions prevalent in your religion or state?