Why Ganpati is Everyone’s Favourite

My first Ganesha visarjan. My first experience of the true Mumbai madness. Traffic jamming the roads, crowds filling up spaces, colour flying into my eyes, music blaring in my ears, crackers polluting the air and a city dancing with joy.

Technically a Hindu festival, Ganesha Chaturthi is the most democratic festival in spirit. Every community – caste, religion, region notwithstanding, comes together to welcome Mumbai’s reigning deity. The songs typically start with the standard and very catchy “Tujhko phir se jalwa dikhana hi hoga, agle baras aana hai aana hi hoga,” the musical version of the Marathi phrase, “Ganpati Bappa Morya! Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Yaa!” asking Lord Ganesha to return every year.

 

Then the dhol and the rhythm take over and all tunes from classics like “O Meri Zohra Jabi” to “Govinda Ala Re” become one as the revelling devotees do the jig with steps that are an endearing combination of Marathi lavni and Punjabi bhangra. It’s an all-embracing, boundary breaker festival that smashes all social, religious and cultural barriers away. A smiling Ganpati invites one and all to dance for him.

 

I had never imagined Ganesha, the elephant headed god, the God of wisdom and prosperity, the remover of all obstacles, the non-stop writer of the Mahabharata, the god all sculptors take maximum liberties with, was also a propagator of secular thought. He brings Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and people from all other religions together to celebrate his birthday.

 

What was interesting to find out was that this phenomenon dates back to the freedom struggle where Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who called Ganesha “The God for Everybody,” used this Indian festival as a tool to promote interaction and unity amongst the people as opposed to the dividing policy of the British. This was meant to bridge the gap between the Brahmins and the non-Brahmins. And till date the festival brings a unifying flavour to the assorted Indian thali.

On that appetising note, let’s go and gorge on some yummy modak Prasad and get ready to welcome Bappa!