Ganesh Chaturthi through the eyes of a Mumbaikar

Ganesh Chaturthi, one of Mumbai’s biggest and grandest festivals, is just around the corner and we can’t stay calm. During this joyous time many people greet Lord Ganesha at home and in Pandals. It is said that as a reward, He brings happiness, prosperity, and fortune to all the devotees. Not only that but when He arrives, the entire aura of Mumbai is flooded with chants of Morya Morya! It’s true that celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai is indeed a blessing. 

As Mumbai is India’s most culturally diverse city, we’d like to take everyone who is new to the city on a virtual tour of how Mumbaikars celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi and what you shouldn’t miss. For those who’ve experienced Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai, this read is like a sweet dose of nostalgia.

1Pandal Decor

Before our Lord Ganesha arrives, everyone starts decorating their homes, pandals, and Ganesha’s mandap. Every year has a new theme for the decor, which brings a lot of excitement to everyone. Every pandal decor has a unique concept, and watching the karyakartas and volunteers work is pure joy. If you’re in Mumbai for  Ganesh Chaturthi, don’t miss out on the best pandal displays. 

2Grand Aagman Sohala

As Ganesh Ji is all set to visit Mumbai, Mumbaikars are set with a grand Aagman for him. Playing Dhol-Tasha, painting the city with colourful gulal, chanting ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya,’ dancing and singing – all to express our happiness on Ganesha’s Aagman. Witnessing the stunning larger-than-life Ganesh idols and the crowd enjoying this entire grand Aagman Sohala is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

3Pandal Hopping

Once Ganesha arrives, the best part to experience during Mumbai’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebration for Mumbaikars is pandal hopping. During this time you’ll find pretty lighting, music, and devotees excited for darshan at every nook and corner. Mumbai’s Ganesh Chaturthi is famous for all the iconic Ganesh Pandals and to make your Pandal hopping worthwhile, Things2do has already got you a list of Famous Ganesh Pandals in Mumbai that you just can’t miss. From early morning ques to late night pandal visits with your entire group of friends, this truly is the best part of Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai!            

4Ganesh Aarti

In Mumbai, you aren’t really a true Ganesha fan if you can’t remember the Ganesh Aarti by heart? In Mumbai, even kids can be heard singing the Ganesha aarti and many different chants for their favourite, elephant-headed god. This singing and chanting have a unique aura that you can only experience in person. Ganesh Chaturthi is indeed a very lively festival so everything during the times just feels heavenly.  

5Delicious Ukadiche Modak

As we all know, Lord Ganesha loves sweets and delicious Saatvik food, but His all-time favourite is clearly Ukadiche Modak. Lord Ganesha is offered 21 Ukadiche Modak as Prasad on the first day of the festival. You can get many different flavours of modak, from chocolate to mawa and dry fruit and even Nutella, but the OG Ukdiche Modak is the ultimate favourite – of Lord Ganesha and all His devotees! 

6Mumbaikars dress in traditional attires

As Ganesh Chaturthi brings so many lovely treats, it also brings the opportunity for Mumbaikars to dress up in their best traditional attires. Sarees, dresses, and Sadra kurtas – that make people look like so many colourful butterflies are out on the streets. It is actually the perfect time when your friend and family can dress up in their finest ethnic wear and click pictures on Instagram to stay in their fond memories forever.  

7Ganpati Dance

The people of Maharashtra celebrate this event with passion for 1 ½ days, 7 days, 10 days, or 21 days. Every street and home is beautifully decked with lights, music, flowers, and so on; the atmosphere of Ganesh Chaturthi is simply irreplaceable. Every Ganesha devotee shows his joy by singing hymns, praying, and dancing. Ganpati dance has now come to mean dancing as if no one is watching. Pouring your entire energy into the beats of Dhol-Tasha and singing Morya Morya is exactly what happens during the Ganpati dance. While the Ganesha song is playing, it is impossible to maintain control over one’s body. 

8Heart Touching Visarjan

Ganpati Visarjan may not be everyone’s favourite part, but it is definitely an intense experience. After a week of buzz, unity, and cultural festivity, everyone, including Ganesha, is ready to return. The final aarti, sung with little emotion, the realisation of returning to regular life, and so on…the sentiment of Ganpati Visarjan will always remain special. Even so, everyone is enthusiastic and cheerful as they say their goodbyes to the god, hoping for the following year’s Ganesh Chaturthi to arrive soon as we say Ganapati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya! 

This virtual tour is definitely making us more excited about Ganesh Chaturthi and we are sure you feel it too. So let’s celebrate this world-famous festival with more joy, gratitude, and very importantly in an eco-friendly manner. 

by Vaidehi Pakhale

at Things2do