Festivals and Celebrations are rooted in history and tradition!

 

Ganesh (Elephant God), festival or Ganesh Chaturthi - this is a Hindu festival and it is the celebration of Ganesha to earth from Kailash Parbat with his mother Goddess Parvati/Gauri. The festival takes place by installing a Ganesha made out of clay murti at home privately and publicly by Bal Gangadhar Tilak or knowns as Lokmanya Tilak in Pune city in 1893 to elaborate on pandals or stages. Pune city where I grew up and has so many memories.

It's a ten day celebration where people chant mantras and prayers and offerings during these ten days and on 11th day the clay murti of Lord Ganesha is immersed in the water such that the clay dissolves and it is assumed that Lord Ganesha has gone back to his home to Kailash Parbat.  

The Elephant God is considered to be the lord of new beginnings and also the one who removes all obstacles and God of wisdom and intelligence. 

"Most festivals are wrapped up in tradition and are tied to the past. People add special foods and celebrations to make festivals most memorable and exciting."

These are all mythological stories that we grew up listening to but we enjoy these festivals, as everything has its special way to do things, what you offer during the prayers - the sweets and modak and then the ten days just swifts by quickly. 

Most of the states in India celebrate this festival and being in Maharashtra I have seen as a child attending all the pandals in the city where different Ganesh murti's are kept with different decorations, lightings some of which will light as per the music that is being played and there used to be competition as who got the best decorated and the best one gets a prize too.

Last year with pandemic lot of things were not celebrated publicly and even the private ones were not the one where anyone was invited to homes. This year, since most of the friends are vaccinated hence I had the opportunity to visit two of my friends house for Ganesh puja.

The reason could be Lord Ganesha but it really brings the festivity in among everyone and it fills with happiness and galore where friends visit, help with decorations, cooking and making special offerings and when you do all this together as a team it brings a different kind of joy.

"Feasts and festivals are a feature of all major religions."

This Ganesh festival there's lot more to be thankful based on the time that we are living in and I was so happy to learn how to make modak (dumplings with sweet inside as stuffing made out of jaggery, coconut and sesame seeds). Being with friends, and getting ready for the event all this brings the sweet memories of Pune that I grew up watching and doing things closely during the Ganesh Festival.

These days with environmental concerns people have found innovative ways to make the idols such as either you make it with chocolate so you're not disposing it to the environment or sometimes they are made out of dirt and a seed will be inside so that you just plant it on the 11th day and this way no sea, or river water is polluted with its immersion. 

At the end like I said its mythological story and how much we have to follow the old ways is up to us. As long as we don't harm the sea animals and the environments everything should be a celebration and joy with greeting friends and eating along with them as one family.

Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudchya Varshi Laukar Ya!!!

(The prayer Meaning is : Lord Ganesha the father of everyone, who was worshipped by Morya Gosavi, should return soon next year).

"Festivals are happy places, and you don't really want to enjoy them on your own."

~ Dawn

This year I will go again to see Ganpati Bappa at a new place with same old feelings ;)

Growing up as a child in National Defense Academy, Khadakwasla Pune is the best thing that can happen to any child and this is not only me saying because I was raised there but anyone who have been in Pune would vouch for this.

When I landed in Canada first and met few Indians they always said you lived in the best part of India so US or Canada is not different for you. What I remember from my childhood is about people and only people. They would be from all parts of the country who will be your neighbors for 2-3 years and then a new neighbor from new state with new language and tradition and the saga goes on.

Ganpati Bappa is one event where no matter what religion or caste you belong to, everyone is excited to see the small pandals (shrines) or the big everywhere some or the other thing is happening. Either people are decorating the pandals or the Ganpati Idol is being created there itself. Late night lights and music, which many times strict dads used to complain about as kids are not able to study, but for us who cares…while studying and revising those chemistry formulas as how to create methanol and examples of Thermodynamics, one of two beats from the dhol always made it more interesting.

Being a keralite never felt that we cannot celebrate this event. It was always that mom, what we making for this festival and then sharing it with friends and family. Every year there was a tradition of a MES (Military Engineering Services) bus loading with all NDA folks and taking them to city for Ganpati Bappa darshan and the best part is to hold my dad’s hand and walk on those busy streets to watch each Ganpati and its decorations where the lightings will dance in the tunes of the music that they played.

As I am writing this, my heartbeat has doubled the rate with excitement as someone has taken that effort to bring the same feeling to my current hometown in Bay Area and that is Praveen Suggala and Neeraj Dhar, the two pillars of our Radio Zindagi who are known for their togetherness in all efforts whether it rains or shine. Long live this togetherness and goodwill gestures!!!

A dream that one sees and another one tries to fulfill it by giving a surprise, how sweet is that bonding? Something that is not done for two people or a media company, its for the mass.

Its for the people who all can make it to Bay Area at Newpark mall from Sep 18th to 20th, 2015 – its for all. A 15 feet Ganpati Bappa murti – I don’t have to say much you can see from the picture below – how royally Bappa sits on that throne, it makes us feel proud and happy with glory.

I feel very proud to say that history has been created right here in silicon valley and I have the opportunity to be part of it. This will remain in history forever that two people came together and brought the essence of Maharashtra’s Ganpati Bappa festival all the way to Silicon Valley – a valley of opportunity for the opportunists. 

I am sure every Indian will enjoy this festival far away from home here at home and our non-Indian friends will rejoice the celebration with all their Indian friends. That’s the solidarity it brings to the valley and all I want to say is this post is dedicated for the people and for those who believe in celebrating such moments which will continue the saga generation after generation. 

Ganpati Bappa Morya

Mangal Murti Morya 

~ Dawn