Since it is September, we are ready to welcome Lord Ganesha into our homes. The Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, commemorates Lord Ganesha’s birth. The festival happens for ten days, and this year it will begin on September 6 and end on September 17.
The installation of Ganesh’s clay idols in homes and public areas is how Hindus celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi. The celebration concludes with the Anant Chaturdashi, when the idol is carried in a public parade and immersed in a river.
To celebrate this festival, people also go to the Lord Ganesha temple all over the country and enjoy the festivities. So, here is a list of a couple of places that you could visit to witness the celebrations.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2024: Top 5 Places to visit for Ganpati celebrations in India
Mumbai
Ganesh Chaturthi or Ganeshotsav is the most anticipated celebration in Maharashtra, particularly Mumbai. In addition to the elaborate ceremonies held at the Siddhi Vinayak temple in Prabhadevi, the festival is marked by the placement of Lord Ganesha idols by various mandals or associations throughout the city, along with daily cultural programs.
People from all over India travel to a location named Parel to get a darshan of Labaugcha Raja, one of the most venerated idols, and to take part in the festivities, which include dances, bhajan singing, and cultural performances.
Goa
One of Goa’s biggest festivals, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with pomp and grandeur. The matoli, a wooden canopy, is decorated with flowers, seasonal vegetables, and fruits, and is used in homes to formally install a clay murti (statue) before the Hindu god is positioned on an altar.
Local mandals hold community celebrations, known as Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav, in a number of locations, including the cities of Panjim and Quepem. These pandals are traditionally decorated and are home to enormous idols.
Pune
In 1892, revolutionaries like Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari and Vishwa Bhasavdekar, introduced the Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav in Pune, during which Ganpati pandals were set up across the city for everybody to see and take part in the ceremony. The practice continues and community festivities are held across Pune. At 15 feet tall, the largest Ganpati idol in Tulsi Baug Pune draws a large crowd.
Additionally, the theme changes each year. People from all over Maharashtra come to the Dagdusheth Ganpati mandir to seek prayers. Tambadi Jogeshwari and Kasba Ganpati Mandir are different locations that devotees visit on a large scale. The Kasba Ganpati Mandir deity is the presiding god in Pune city likewise referred to as Gramdaivat.
Nagpur
Ganpati mandals in Nagpur celebrate the festival with immense fun, singing aarti and chanting mantras like “Mam Sarvakarmsiddhaye Siddhivinayak Pujanmaham Karishye.” The 31-foot-tall Vidarbha Mathadi Kamgaar Ganesh Utsav idol is a major attraction. A yearly affair, this turns into a hub for people in Nagpur during this period.
The social activities occurring each night, is an additional fascination. On Visrajan day, thousands of devotees gather to say their final goodbyes to their favourite Ganesha at the Futala lake area. Another place where morning aarti is performed is the Shri Ganesh Mandir Tekdi Nagpur.
Bengaluru
Ganesh Chaturthi celebration in Karnataka is not quite the same as other places, as the celebration is preceded by the Swarna Gouri Vratam or Gouri Habba. Thus, Ganesh Gouri festival is also known as Chaturthi here. Apart from homes, the city hosts grand celebrations for Vinayak Chaturthi in a variety of locations.
Over the course of five decades, one of the most popular celebrations has taken place at the APS College Grounds in Basavanagudi. One of India’s largest cultural events, the Bengaluru Ganesh Utsava is a 10-day cultural extravaganza that features performances by well-known musicians.
First Published: Sep 04 2024 | 1:49 PM IST
