Families share modaks, offer marigolds, and pray together, Ganpati Bappa Morya, He leaves only to return with blessings
Ganesh Chaturthi has arrived, and with it, the heart of India beats louder and brighter. Across the country, from small towns to metros, people prepare to welcome Lord Ganesha into their homes and lives. For many, He is a son, a brother, a friend, someone whose presence fills the surroundings with faith and warmth.
In neighbourhoods, artists and families are shaping eco-friendly idols with clay, colours, and love. Children gather to paint decorations, elders sing aarti, and Kitchens fill with the fragrance of modaks, said to be Bappa’s favourite sweet. Each gesture, whether big or small, carries devotion. On every street, marigolds and genda phool are strung into garlands, temples resound with conches, and chants of Ganpati Bappa Morya rise with joy. In many homes, the prayer Sindoor Laal Chadhayo echoes like a hymn, filling the air with reverence and melody.
In Mumbai, the city itself transforms into a grand pandal. From Lalbaugcha Raja to the smallest roadside mandap, every corner glows with light, music, and prayer. The sea of devotees walking hand in hand is a reminder of unity, of how faith bridges divides. Crowds stand for hours, hands folded, eyes glistening as the aarti flames dance before the towering idols. The sound of drums and the rhythm of claps merge into chants, and for those few moments, time itself feels surrendered at Bappa’s feet.
In a quiet corner of Delhi, I stood watching an artist at work, and it felt less like effort and more like devotion. Clay, brushes, and bowls of colour lay scattered around him, yet the space seemed touched by prayer. His hands moved with a rhythm born of memory, shaping Ganesha’s form with a familiarity that spoke of years gone by. There was no hesitation, only faith guiding every stroke, every curve.
When he began painting the idol’s eyes, I felt a stillness settle around us. The artist’s gaze softened, his brush slowed, as if he were breathing life into the murti. That moment carried weight, a quiet reverence, when creation seemed to meet presence. He told me, almost in passing, “This is not paint. This is my faith. I have been doing this since my old times.” His words stayed with me, grounding the act in something larger than craft, it was tradition, devotion, and offering. Watching him, I realised the murti was never just clay and colour, it was prayer taking form. In that corner of the city, amid simple tools and colours, faith was being shaped with bare hands, waiting to be carried into countless homes and hearts.
Ganesh Chaturthi is the reassurance that no matter how heavy life feels, there is always hope. Each prayer whispered before Bappa is also a wish for strength, wisdom, and fresh beginnings. And when it comes time for visarjan, people send Him off with the promise that He will return, and life, once again, will be renewed. This festival is love. In every idol, every prayer, every chant of Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya lives a collective heartbeat of faith. To welcome Bappa is to welcome joy itself and perhaps, to remember that life, despite its trials, always offers a reason to begin again.
As the modaks are shared, as sindoor is offered, as Genda phool fall gently into the Ganga during visarjan, one truth remains, Ganesha never leaves. He stays in the prayers, the songs, and the hearts that call Him home.
Festive Spirit
Monsoon rains couldn’t dampen the vibrant energy as Mumbai’s streets overflowed with devotees. Amidst the chants of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya,’ the grand procession moved forward, a wave of colour, faith, and joy celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi.