Saturday, September 5, 2009

Ganpati Bappa Moriya

Ganeshotsav … meaning the Ganpati Festival is one of the biggest festival in Maharashtra and specially in cities like Mumbai and Pune … though I haven’t ever been to pune in the 10 days of this fest but yeah I have been looking at the fabulous atmosphere (better word Maahol) in Mumbai from last 4 years…and believe me you gotta see it…in the first 2 years I also went to see the Ganesh Visarjan at Girgaum Beach in Mumbai…and this is the most important day of the festival…the Visarjan (immersion) … most of the offices have holidays since they are aware roads gonna be packed :D but we generally have half day :( … but whatever the important thing is to be at one the beaches or lakes where the Ganesh Visarjan takes place… and its real fun to be at beaches than being on lakes…

There are these humongous Ganesh idols from all over the Mumbai at the beaches and then THE SEA OF PEOPLE…yeah I mean it if you are lost .. you are lost…its really difficult to find your buddies back…but then that’s what forms the entire ambience…the chanting of the mantras and the hailing of Lord Ganpati “Ganpati Bappa Moriya…Pudhchya Warshi Lavkar Ya” and the people all engrossed in the arrangement that nobody gets hurt while the Big Idols are immersed in the Sea…its all so much good to watch…

I really feel that this festival meets the purpose for which it had been started by Hon. Lokmanya Tilak way back in 1893…to make people come at a common place and celebrate and get together for a common purpose forgetting all their worries and sharing all the happiness and forming a bond :)

I still remember the days in my hometown Nagpur…the Ganpati Installation at one of my friend Ashish’s place and also in Colony, just infront of our building…the music…the games arranged…Sandal (band) on the last day…I remember how Anya and Me were curious enough in my school days and while coming back from Arpit’s place in Itwari we used to see the Ganpati Installation at the various places :D

I jus love Ganeshotsav !!

Ganpati Bappa Moriya…

** few of you may get surprised to see this post…as I am an atheist but then my feelings has to do nothing with the belief in God but the emotions of people.

2 comments:

Sagar Aloni said...

I really miss Ganesh Utsav....sandal....events...anf full masti....I truly miss our culture...

Unknown said...

I know what you mean. Even though I have gone agnostic, I still long for these festivals for its fun filled part. It takes me back to those childhood days, the one you mentioned here.

It's always a refreshing and uniting change.