The Ganpati saga – ‘Visarjan’

The ten days of joy and hopes alas! comes to an end. This incredible and magical festival, binds the 100 parts of this country together into one single heart. That’s the beauty of this festival, where people no matter where they come from, join each other to celebrate it. The hopes of getting rid of all their problems with the blessings of Lord Ganesha , is a very popular belief amongst people.

Visarjan i.e biding farewell to our beloved Lord, is also done in a unique way. Visarjan takes place mostly after 10 days of his arrival. But at a few places its done either in one and a half day, three days, five days or seven days. Whilst in Pune, people often come from various corners of the world to witness our unique, jaw dropping and creative way of celebrating the stay of Lord Ganesha.

Idealising one’s self

Fashion to ones knowledge is greatly influenced by their or other people’s body image . Body image is nothing but the mental image, attitude and feelings we have of our own body . It is our own idea of “beauty ” or “ideal-body” Any body waif , curvy or athletic is beautiful in its own way , yet many people idealize the body type proposed to be ideal by the media , how ever for a fact we know that media is ideal but not real . All of us are beautiful in our own very different form . If everyone would be same , how would u admire beauty ? Ideal body , body shape , weight , height does not only limit to women’s beauty , but it also affects men largely today !

The Ganpati saga – ‘The History’

Ganeshotsav is one of the most popular festivals in India (especially in the state of Maharashtra). Over the years this festival has gained a lot of fervour and extravagance. The cities of Mumbai and Pune are known for their unique celebrations of this 10/11day fest. Known for their opulent and grand festivities, these cities attract a large number of tourists and devotees not only from different states in India, but also from other countries.

The origin of the Ganesh Chaturthi fest can be traced back to the great Maratha ruler, Shivaji, who initiated the programme to instil the values of nationalism and promote cultural harmony amongst his subjects.

After Shivaji, it was Nana Saheb Peshwa who initiated the worship of Ganesha as a festival. It was during his rule that a separate statue made of clay was specially carved and brought to the Shaniwar Wada, the residence of the Peshwas. During his reign the expenditure of Rs2682 for the festival was documented in the journals. The Utsav gained more importance during Madhavrao Peshwa’s reign, who was an ardent devotee of Ganesha. Puja was held twice in a day and shlokas and mantras were chanted throughout the day. The expense incurred during Madhavrao’s reigning period in 1767 was about Rs3000. The festival was not celebrated in the Shaniwar Wada after the death of Narayanrao Peshwa in 1773.

It was later revived by Nana Phadnis and Sakharam Bokil , administrators of the Peshwas in 1778 at the Purandar fort as the next Peshwa, Sawai Madhavrao then 4 years old lived there. After his return to Shaniwar Wada, between the period of 1760-1791, the festival was celebrated on a gigantic level with great pomp and splendour. With the decreasing influence of the Peshwas in the early 19th century, the festival ceased to be celebrated at the Shaniwar Wada by 1815.

In 1882, the festival was revived by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, as a perfect platform to spread the message of the freedom struggle. It provided a platform for people of all communities to participate and it transformed into a social function thus unifying the people and instilling a spirit of oneness. Today, the festival encourages societal participation and involvement of people of different backgrounds. It also encourages cultural and community activities such as theatre performances and charity. The festival has grown to be not only a spiritual and cultural activity but also a major economic activity for the metropolitan cities of India. Nonetheless, the festival marks the beginning of a series of other festivals and has grown to become one of the most awaited festivals in Maharashtra.

Written by- Bela Patil.

The Ganpati saga – ‘The Beginning’

The spectacular festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most celebrated festivals all over India. While in Pune, this festival is celebrated from the time of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The start of the festival can be marked  on the 4th day of the Bhadrapada month, which according to the Hindu calendar which falls in the months of late August or early September and is celebrated for most magical 11days.