Ganapati is
my favorite festival – after all I’m a Marathi mulgi. :) I get very nostalgic
around this time reminiscing about all the Ganapati’s from my childhood - the
excitement of seeing Ganesh idols in the market, the hustle bustle, the festivities,
the food, the music, the programs organized by Ganesh mandals, the processions
bringing Ganapati home and then the extremely emotional visarjan or immersion
processions on Anant Chaturdashi.
Weeks
before Ganesh Chaturthi, the grounds next to our home would buzz with the idol
makers who would work in a frenzy to add final touches to the thousands of Ganesh
idols neatly lined on wooden benches. Some artists would focus on huge idols,
some at least 10 feet tall. On our way home we would gaze in awe at the idols
coming to life. With his cherubic features, kind eyes and a tiny mouse for
company, Ganesh for us, is the most adorable of Gods. Ganapati is the God of
knowledge and learning and so our pencil boxes, study-table, books, etc would
have tiny Ganapati pictures pasted all over them. We would start counting days
to Ganesh Chaturthi eve when we’d choose “our” Ganapati and bring him home.
Decoration
for Ganapati was a favorite, much-awaited activity. I use to traumatize K2 and
K3 as I considered myself really creative. The poor little girls in their
excitement ignored my bullying and worked hard with colored papers, glitter,
glue and what not. Most of our decorations used to be hand-made, except for
those mandatory lights and paper-chain garlands. Honestly our work used to
sloppy at best but the pride and happiness we experienced to have “readied” the
place for our beloved Ganapati was priceless.
On Ganesh
Chaturthi eve, we would accompany dad to bring home our Ganapati. After much
care, discussion and deliberation, mostly based on the color of the pitamber
and the overall “cuteness” of the idol, we used to select one small sized
Ganapati. With much love and tenderness, just like one fusses over a baby, we
would carry the idol home, all wrapped up in a cloth so that nobody saw him
before his sthapana the next day.
Ganesh
Chaturthi day, a school holiday, would begin bright and early. Mom would get
busy in the kitchen preparing the usual festival food so that the prasadache
taat (offering for the Gods) would be ready in time. We would spend an insane
amount of time doing rangoli in the courtyard – again yours truly bossing over
helpless K2 and K3. :( Then mom and dad would be called to mandatorily admire
our art, which they faithfully did.
After a quick
bath we would dash out to pick “durva”, the fine grass like herb which happens
to be Ganapati’s favorite. Durva grows along the road side, in open grounds,
etc. It’s also sold around Ganesh Chaturthi. It needs to be picked, cleaned
thoroughly and tied in tiny bunches of 5, 11, 21, 51 and/or 101 stalks. Then we used
to pick flowers from our garden. Red jaswand, rose, kanher, aboli and parijat –
they are all Ganapati’s favorite flowers. Dad would also buy roses and lotus
flowers. With this done, we three girls would be done with our work for the
day! Phew! :)
Then would
begin the long wait for the pooja and prasad. Usually at around noon, our
Ganapti would be ready to be “installed” and we would sing five to seven aartis
with gusto, accompanied with taal and ghanta. The whole atmosphere would turn
magical once Ganapati took his place in our devghar. Adorned with flowers,
garlands, durva over his head, colorful lights twinkling, he appeared to smile
at us. We would yell “Ganapati Bappa Moraya” at the top of our voice. We
imagined that Ganapati was very happy looking at our decoration and the 21 sweet
modaks mom would have placed before him. Mom always fried modaks made out of
wheat flour. Of course the prasadache taat would have our favorite foods as
well.
The 10-11
day festival would thus begin. Every morning we would scout for durva and
flowers, do Ganapati’s arati in the mornings and evenings as well, visit our
friends’ to take blessings from their Ganapatis, go out to sarvajanik Ganapati
mandals to admire the Ganesh idols and the different themes of decoration,
participate in various competitions organized by our colony’s Ganesh mandal. To
add to the merriment and feasting, Gauri or “Laksmya – pair of Laxmis” would
visit in between for three days. Though we didn’t have the practice of erecting
Gauri idols in our place my mom would invite our girl friends for lunch. The
highlight would be a creamy rice kheer. At my grandparents’ place, Gauri idols
are erected and there’s serious work that goes in the decoration. My youngest
mama who is very enthusiastic when it comes to Ganapati/Gauri decoration, even
has a bamboo structure in place which can be erected easily that works as a
mandap or canopy. All he has to do is drape silk sarees over it. This frees up
his time to add more detail in the decoration – different lights, crystals,
etc.
As days zoomed towards Anant Chaturdashi or the last day of the festival, again a
school holiday, our hearts would grow heavy at the thought of saying goodbye to
our Ganapati. We felt very protective towards this baby faced diety – so much
so that we hoped people would stop immersing Ganapati idols on the visarjan
day. With tearful eyes we would sing the last arati in the evening which we
would do as late in the evening as possible just so that the Ganapati stayed a bit
longer. With a little “khau” of coconut, peanuts, poppy seeds and jaggery for
his journey, we would follow our dad to immerse our Ganesh in the nearby well. Chanting
“Ganapati bappa moraya, pudhchya varshi lavkar ya” we pleaded with him to visit
us soon next year. The house felt empty in the evening and nothing would lift
our spirits. We felt such sadness while we chanted in chorus “Ganapati gele
gavala, chain padena amhala.”
Ironically,
A’s family doesn’t celebrate Ganapati festival for some weird reason. I was
overcome with sadness when his mom told me this after our wedding. :( Not fair, right? I haven’t made peace with it
yet.
Anyways. As
I count my blessings this Ganesh Chaturthi, I wish you readers all the happiness,
peace and prosperity. I leave you with the following pics, all the decorations
are handmade, lovingly and painstakingly.
Ganapati at
K3’s in Virginia (2012)
Gauri/Laksmya
at my grandparents’ in Hyd (2011)
