Festival of hope- Ganesh Chaturthi

The importance, grandeur and devotion with which Ganpati festival is celebrated in this part of the country was alien to us when we came to Mumbai more than two decades ago. We couldn’t resist its charm, the way we couldn’t resist the charm of this great city and decided to make this city our home and the festival our own. Life, like always, is a roller coaster ride, highlighted by ups and downs, highs and lows and good and bad, but as the Chaturthi comes and Bappa arrives to bless our home, all negativity just vanishes, making way for delight, happiness and elation. Such is the power of this festival and its presiding deity! And while our Ganpati is consigned to the depths of sea the next day, the celebrations continue for the next ten days entailing visits to iconic pandals, including the most revered, “Lalbaug cha Raja”, who enjoys unparalleled adulation of his devotees.

And the prayers offered to the merciful lord are not only about self, family and other nears and dears. In fact, whatever concerns our city, nation and planet is also placed before Bappa in the form of prayers. Whether it’s erratic rain or havoc caused by floods, welfare of our brave hearts fighting enemy or terrorists, peace and prosperity in the parts of the country, especially Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Manipur, communal harmony, success of Chandrayan and Aditya and everything else for which we as human feel helpless, seeking salvation from Ganpati, get included in our prayers in the hope that, his immersion will herald the end of all the problems, bringing peace and prosperity for the entire mankind!

When faced with complex problems,

Only helplessness is felt inwards

The only hope then one gets is,

By looking nowhere else, but only skywards.

And our prayers to someone in the sky

Don’t go abegging or unheard;

On Ganesh Chaturthi comes visiting Ganpati

The sukh karta and dukh harta of this world!

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to everyone! Ganpati Bappa Morya!