Pune : The public Ganeshotsav in Maharashtra was restricted in the last two years due to the Covid pandemic. However, now the situation in the state is under control. So this year the state government has removed the restrictions on Ganeshotsav.
Ganeshotsav starts from Ganesh Chaturthi and ends after 10 days on Anant Chaturdashi. Shri Ganesha Visarjan also takes place on Anant Chaturdashi. Lord Ganesha is worshiped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune, Modak is Lord Ganesha’s favorite food.
The first day of Ganeshotsav is celebrated as Lord Ganesha’s birthday. Also known as Ganesh Chaturthi or Ganesh Chauth. Vinayaka is another name of Lord Ganesha, hence this festival is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi.
In Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Goa, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, this festival involves the installation of clay idols of Lord Ganesha in households and public pandals and worshiped by families and groups. However, in some states of North India, this festival is celebrated by installing temporary idols of Ganesha in temples.
Anant Chaturdashi…
The last day of Ganeshotsav is celebrated as Anant Chaturdashi (Infinite fourteenth). In Indian states like Maharashtra and Gujarat, this festival is celebrated as Ganesha Visarjan (Ganpati Visarjan). On the 10th day of Ganesh festival, idols of Ganesha are floated/immersed with great fanfare in a large water source like sea, river or lake. In some parts of North India, people wear 14 knots of thread in their hands. As this sacred thread is called Anant, this festival is called Anant Chaturdashi.
A brief history…
It is estimated that between 1630-1680, during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Ganesh Chaturthi festival was celebrated as a public event. During Shivaji’s reign, this Ganeshotsav festival was regularly celebrated as the Kuladavata festival of his empire. Lokmanya Bagangadhar Tilak restarted the festival in 1893.
Fame in Mumbai is the king of Lalbagh…
Lalbaghcha Raja is one of the world’s most popular public Ganesha Mandals in South Mumbai, called Lalbaghcha Raja in Marathi. The Raja Public Ganeshotsav Mandal of Lalbagh was established in the year 1934. It is located in Lalbagh, Paral area of Mumbai.
