Ganesh chathurthi, the mumbai way :)

Vinayakar chathurthi oru vazhia mudivuku vanthaachu. Inga vara varaikum mumbaila intha pandigaiya kondaadaratha pathi kelvi thaan patruken. Had a first hand account of the way they celebrate it this year. The way these people celebrate itself is a lesson for others to follow. Whatever they do, these guys do it wholeheartedly. "Dance like no one is watching" nu kelvi patrupeenga..they follow it to the letter. Ganesh chaturthi is a week long festival here.

On the first day they invite the lord to their home. They carry the idols in a procession to their home forming small band parties and dancing all the way home. They burst crackers, throw color powders, put loud songs be it bajans or remixes and dance merrily all the way home. The traffic comes to stand still. But no one complains. Anything for Ganesha. Even the irate traffic goer stops to offer his silent prayers. Some people finish of the rituals on the first day itself and get ready to immerse the lord in water on the second day itself, which they call it Visarjan. But in big pandals which are set up and run by societis they keep the idol for close to 6 days for public darshan and on the last day they again follow the procession rituals mentioned above for immersion.

The reason why all this started is totally unreligious. Balgangadhar tilak wanted to rally people and he used ganesh chathurthi as a key for bringing them out together. Its followed the sameway till this day. Even people from other communities organise pandals and bring in different styles of lord ganesha, designed like lord shiva, krishna and many other gods.

On the last day, they bring the lord in procession to whatever water body lies nearby, which by the way they keep it clean weeks in advance, and they perform all their poojas on the waterfront before immersing the idol. Theladies are the most vociferous of the crowd :) they enjoy shouting slogans..Sounds of "Ganpatibappa morya" fills the air. Its a sight to behold to see people coming out in large numbers with their families and kids and enjoying. It creates a very positive atmosphere. For a while smile flu and all other issues which dog the city are forgotten.

I somehow felt emotional on watching all those idols getting immersed in water :( Felt like crying watching all those ganeshas getting submerged. Like many of us, ganesha is my favourite god and whenever there is ganesh chathurthi at our house we never immerse the idol. We always keep it safely. I couldnt bear to see it being dissolved in water. Too painful a sight. And first time enga appa ilama pullayar chathurthi celebrations. Felt very weird. I've always been home for this festival wherever i used to be. First time missing it. Anyways..itho atho nu oru vazhia pullyar chathurthiyum mudinju poachu. Now begins the festival season. Eagerly looking forward to it :)

Comments

23-C said…
thala...inaikum vada enaku than!

soper a elutha aarambichu y feelings of india in the end!...

nangalam intha vinyagar oorvalatha nayagan, badsha padathula parthathu than...:-)
Aarti said…
Bombayla irukra friends ellarum itha pathi thaan pechchu.... infact they say they cant even get out of their homes during the procession... avalavu kootam koothu....

:)
G3 said…
:))))))))))))))))))

Pullaiyara karaikkaradhukku ellam azhuveengala??? Strange !!!
Annam said…
vinayagakaneyyyy
G3 said…
At younger age Vinayagar chathurthi is one of the festivals i used to long for :)))

Enga pakkathu veetu makkal pillaiyar senju vippaanga andha seasonkku.. so naanga adhukku help pannuvom.. finishing touches to the moulded pillaiyaar.. appuram erukkam poo parichittu vandhu maalaiya kothu kudukkaradhu.. kundumani parichittu vandhu kudukkaradhu kannukku veikkanu.. one week sema galaatava irukkum.. and at the end naanga senja velaikku they used to give some amounts.. 5 /10 rs as wages.. My First earned salary :))))))
Anonymous said…
Cheer up Man! :) :) Next yr chaturthiku veetla irukalaam.......

Good you had first hand experience to see the celebrations atleast once....
Annam said…
பீலிà®™்ஸ் கரை புரண்டு ஒடுகிறது....கடல்ல கரையட்டுà®®் ....பிள்ளையாà®°ோட சேà®°்ந்து
Priya said…
Something like Durga pooja in Bengal. What happened to pics? Oru pillayar kooda edukaliya?
Sundari said…
Yes i too have heard abt ganesha festival in mumbai thru my frnds.havent got a chance to see though ...


//Even people from other communities organise pandals and bring in different styles of lord ganesha, designed like lord shiva, krishna and many other gods.//

Edhuverayaa
Sundari said…
//I've always been home for this festival wherever i used to be. First time missing it. //

sari vidunga..next yr vinayagar chathurthi varamala poidum...1 week leave potutu poidunga..
Sundari said…
Aparam..neenga elutha sonna Tag elutheetan...:)
R-ambam said…
//On the first day they invite the lord to their home. They carry the idols in a procession to their home forming small band parties and dancing all the way home. They burst crackers, throw color powders, put loud songs be it bajans or remixes and dance merrily all the way home.//
ithai ithuvaraikkum naan entha news coverage layum paarthathey illa , But I wish I get to see it sometime :)

'My friend ganesha 2' inniki thaan paarthein... as u said , thalaiyaa kadal alaiyaa nu theriyaatha alavukku thaan irunthathu.. crowd and the energy

//And first time enga appa ilama pullayar chathurthi celebrations.//

:| hmm... , Cheer up!
Divyapriya said…
//I somehow felt emotional on watching all those idols getting immersed in water :( Felt like crying watching all those ganeshas getting submerged.//

yen yen? :)))
Divyapriya said…
//I somehow felt emotional on watching all those idols getting immersed in water :( Felt like crying watching all those ganeshas getting submerged.//

yen yen? :)))
inikki ennane therila naan pora idathula ellam 15 comments irukku.. naan 16 and 17 potutu poren! :O
achicho idhuku ellam emotional agalama? neengale clayla onnu senju bathirama vechuka vendi thaane?

enga friend veettu pillaiyara nethiku thaan vandhu enga veetla karaichutu ponanga.. illa illa naanga onnum dissolving festival ellam nadathala.. enga veetuku pinnadi pond iruku adhan..
kanagu said…
கொஞ்சம் வரலாà®±ை எல்லாà®®் சேத்து சுவாரசியாà®®ா இருந்த்துது பதிவு.. :))
gils said…
//nangalam intha vinyagar oorvalatha nayagan, badsha padathula parthathu than...:-)//

:D :D if there is a checklist for list things i wanted to do in life..watching ganesh festival in mumbai was one :D and its well and truly ticked for me now:D

// infact they say they cant even get out of their homes during the procession... avalavu kootam koothu....
//
yup...people enjoy their hearts out..they pour into the streets and dance and sing and play drums..they celebrate life :)
gils said…
//Pullaiyara karaikkaradhukku ellam azhuveengala??? Strange !!!//
:D :D athennamo chinnavayasulenthay apdithaan :) over senti towards certain stuff..

//vinayagakaneyyyy//

yes pikaali :)

//Enga pakkathu veetu makkal pillaiyar senju vippaanga andha seasonkku.. so naanga adhukku help pannuvom.. finishing touches to the moulded pillaiyaar.. appuram erukkam poo parichittu vandhu maalaiya kothu kudukkaradhu.. kundumani parichittu vandhu kudukkaradhu kannukku veikkanu.. one week sema galaatava irukkum.. and at the end naanga senja velaikku they used to give some amounts.. 5 /10 rs as wages.. My First earned salary :))))))//

athey ipo senjingina child labor solitu avangala ula thooki potruvanga..kaalam ketu kedaku :D
gils said…
//Good you had first hand experience to see the celebrations atleast once....//


yup :) really enjoyed the exp :)

//பீலிà®™்ஸ் கரை புரண்டு ஒடுகிறது....கடல்ல கரையட்டுà®®் ....பிள்ளையாà®°ோட சேà®°்ந்து//
tamizhla enaku pudicha varthai..pheelings :D
gils said…
//Something like Durga pooja in Bengal. What happened to pics? Oru pillayar kooda edukaliya?//

ungalukagavay oru pic post ready panren..took lots of snaps this weekend :)

//Yes i too have heard abt ganesha festival in mumbai thru my frnds.havent got a chance to see though ...//

oru thaba intha pakkam vaanga :)
gils said…
//Aparam..neenga elutha sonna Tag elutheetan...://

ijit :) tho kammings

//thalaiyaa kadal alaiyaa nu theriyaatha alavukku thaan irunthathu.. crowd and the energy //

:) seriously..this is one festival for the entire city...intha mathiri chennaila ila any southern statesla etachum iruka???
gils said…
//yen yen? :)))//

as pikaali says chummaa..lololaaiku :)

//inikki ennane therila naan pora idathula ellam 15 comments irukku.. naan 16 and 17 potutu poren! :O//

neenga ennikumay suweeet sixteennolyo athaannu nenakren :D :D
gils said…
//inikki ennane therila naan pora idathula ellam 15 comments irukku.. naan 16 and 17 potutu poren! :O//

naan senja athu pullyar mathiri varathay :) i am trained for nothing!!

// illa illa naanga onnum dissolving festival ellam nadathala.. enga veetuku pinnadi pond iruku adhan..//

hahaah..dissolving festivala!!! ada aapicerungala :D
gils said…
//கொஞ்சம் வரலாà®±ை எல்லாà®®் சேத்து சுவாரசியாà®®ா இருந்த்துது பதிவு.. :)//

:)) nanri
sri said…
Edha padichuttu naanum konjam peelings ayitten da :((

All for good da kanna cheer up!

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