Ganesh Visarjan - 2011

Today happens to be the 11th and Final day of this year's Ganpati Festival. It is also known as 'Anant Chaturdashi' - the day on which the majority of the Ganesh idols are taken on a farewell procession, and finally, immersed into water bodies (depending on the size of the idol, and/or convenience of the people taking the idol for immersion, the immersion venue could range from small wells, tanks, ponds and lakes to bigger water bodies such as the rivers and seas.)

Another important point to note would be, that not all people/Mandals house the lord for a period of 11 days. It is normally the custom to keep Ganpati for odd-numbered days. It could range from 1.5 (One and half) days, to 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11 days.

My family was earlier based in place called Chhedanagar, in Chembur (North-East Mumbai). And the society in which we resided, celebrated the Ganpati festival with great devotion, pomp and splendour year after year. It was the most-awaited event of the year, and youngsters and elderly, irrespective of their roots, backgrounds, religion etc. wholeheartedly joined in the celebrations.

The preparations would start approximately a month before the Ganesh Chaturthi day, when the youngsters would go door-to-door to collect money from the residents, to build funds for the festival. The idol would be booked at our regular idol-maker's place. Then, just days before the D-Day, all the materials required for the decoration would be purchased.

But the actual work, would begin only on the night on the eve of the D-day. We all youngsters would assemble after dinner, and start work. Everyone would tirelessly and sincerely work through the night, and by the wee hours of the morning, the whole place would be totally revamped, all-set to receive the King - our dear Lord Ganesha.

The traditional Aarti would be conducted twice a day - once in the morning, and later again in the evening. The evening session would be a longer one, with loads of members joining in, for a couple of hours long Bhajan session. (Again, people irrespective of their religion or background join in with total devotion.... something really special and touching). The morning and evening Prasad (special delicacies offered to Ganpati and later shared by everyone present as a token of his blessings) would be made by people from different flats on each of the days.

The celebrations would be for a period of 5 days. On the 5th day evening, the Ganpati would be taken in a lorry/tempo to Shivaji Park Beach (near Dadar, Central Mumbai) for Visarjan (immersion). Earlier, the people joining in for the immersion trip were quite a handful in number, and a big Lorry used to be hired for the journey from Chembur to Shivaji Park. There were a couple of occasions when the youngsters had even arranged for a live band to play upto a certain distance (initial leg) of the procession for them to dance along. But over the years, with the number of people reducing considerably (due to work schedules and other constraints), the lorry has made way for a tempo, that comfortably houses the reduced number of people who escort Lord Ganpati for his farewell journey to his immersion.

When I was staying in Chembur, I had accompanied the group for Visarjan on quite a few occasions. But ever since we shifted to another area (Ghatkopar) in 2008, I had never got to join them for Visarjan. Yes, me and my family still visit the Ganpati in our old society on atleast one of the 5 days every year. We are too attached to the place, the people, and of course, the Ganpati celebrations over there, to miss out on paying a visit. But this time, after a gap of 3 years, I again got the privilege of joining the Visarjan trip. It was quite a dramatic turn of events, which I would do better to recount in a seperate post, as this one has got pretty long now! :)

~ Ganpati Bappa Moraya ~

O Maai Fraaand Ganeshaa!

Ganpati Bappa Moraya!!! Mangala Moorti Moraya!!! :-)

My blog, has yet again, been dormant for too long. As always, there were umpteen occasions when I was tempted to document my thoughts here. But somehow, thanks to my busy schedules, those remained mere thoughts. Were never put into words.

There are lots to write about. A wonderful trip to God's Own Country - Kerala, with my friends last month, is on the top of my list to write about. Lot of wonderful memories.... some fantastic moments, some great music, a close friend's grand wedding, meeting wonderful people..... not to forget many hilarious moments as well..... they all need to be put up here, so that we can read them again later and re-live those moments in the future.

But before I start on the trip to God's Own Country, I thought I'll first write about God himself.

The Ganpati Festival season is on in Mumbai right now. Today is the 6th day of the Festival (normally it is a 11 day festival). Earlier, the festival was not celebrated in such a large scale, in public. The public celebration (Sarvajanik Utsav) was the brainchild of the great Indian freedom fighter - Shri Bal Gangadhar Tilak (popularly known as Lokmanya Tilak). He, during the pre-independence era, came up with this masterstroke of an idea, to organise public gatherings, under the garb of 'Sarvajanik Ganpati Mandals'.

The British, back then, were vary of public meetings, and used to disallow any such gatherings from taking place in the country, as it was obvious that the only thing that would be discussed in the meetings, would be regarding the Freedom Movement. Shri Lokmanya Tilak came up with this idea, to organise the Ganpati festival in Maharashtra on a public scale, where in they could have public Mandals housing Ganpati, for a period of 10 days, and people in large numbers could come to pay their respects daily. And the freedom fighters / leaders could use this stage to present their ideas to the public, and motivate them to join the freedom struggle, and create a cascading movement across the state, and in turn, the country.

Thus, in the year 1894, Shri Lokmanya Tilak established a Sarvajanik Ganesh Mandal in Pune (Maharashtra), and since then, the festival has grown in leaps and bounds in the country and even abroad. The manner in which people passionately pour their hearts out, in giving their dear Ganpati Bappa a grand welcome, arranging for his royal stay, and later give him a farewell befitting a King, is to be seen to be believed. This festival is undoubtedly the pride of Maharashtra, and the elephant-headed Lord Ganesha, is undoubtedly our most-loved visitor.

The popular saying in Sanskrit is "Athithi Devo Bhava" - which means 'Your Guest, is equivalent to God'.

But this is one festival in India, where the roles are reversed. We get to experience "Deva Athitho Bhava" - where our God himself visits us as our honoured guest, and we get to play host to him...! :-)

Glossary for Pilgrimogue - Part 1

Minor Glossary regarding my earlier post (Pilgrimogue - Part 1)



Kettunira: (ritual where a coconut is filled with ghee, and other items such as Rice, Kaanikkai, items for Abhishekam etc. are filled into the Irumudi)


Irumudi: A special cloth bag with two portions, which is filled during the Kettunira, and knotted at the centre, in such a way, that the knot seperates the two portions of the cloth bag in the midde. The Irumudi is to be carried by the Ayyappa pilgrim on his head in such a way, that one portion of the Irumudi falls towards the front of his head, and the other towards the back of his head. The front portion is called 'Mun-Mudi' (literally translated as "Front-Knot" or the portion at the front of the knot) and the back portion is called 'Pin-Mudi' (the "Back-Knot" or the portion on the backside of the knot)



Kaanikkai: Token amount to be put in the Hundi (Boxes installed for Money collection) during the First Darshanam of the Lord, during the trip.



Abhishekam: Bathing of the Lord's idol using various special items such as Nei (Ghee), Vibhuti (Holy Ash), Kumkumam (Vermillion), Chandanam/Kalabham (Sandalwood paste), Rose Water etc. Note, that the Ghee in this case is filled into the coconut and sealed, while the other items are filled in packets or small boxes and packed into the Irumudi, along with the Ghee-filled coconut.

Shabarimala Pilgrimogue (Pilgrim's Travelogue) - Part 1

Aum Namah Shivaayah!

MahaaShivraatri ke Paavan Avsar par sabko meri Haardik Shubhkaamnaayein! :-)


Well, its a good day today, and I thought of restarting the blog. I hope this 'auspicious' restart ensures more regular postings from me here. I hope its not just the customary post for the year... :P

Which reminds me - A Very Happy 2011 to one and all...! (March isn't too late to wish, is it?)


I have had a very weird start to the year this time. As has been the case for the past 3 years, I was on Vratham (religious vow) for a period of two months, since Mid-November 2010, to undertake the pilgrimage to Shabarimala, where THE MOST popular among the major shrines dedicated to Lord Ayyappa is located. (The others shrines being Kulathupuzha, Achankoil, Aaryankaavu, Erumeli, Ponnambalamedu)

I was supposed to embark on the pilgrimage on the 6th of Jan, 2011, after the completion of the Kettunira, along with my other group members. But a couple of days before that, one of our official clients based in the Middle East, suddenly decided to pay a visit to our office, to conduct interviews. BANG! My boss called me and told me in no uncertain terms, that there was no way I could leave on the 6th, as the client was arriving on the 5th, and the interviews were scheduled at our office on the 6th itself...!

I tried my best to reason with my bosses, that it was incredibly difficult for me to change the itinerary at such a last minute. All the more, since this isn't one of the regular, casual trips; but instead is a pilgrimage, that too, one bound by lots of rules, regulations, rituals and the likes. I couldn't miss my Kettunira on the 6th, as all the group members were leaving that day, and I cannot get mine conducted the next day, since no senior Guruswamy would be available to conduct the same.

My pleadings continued till the 5th, but totally in vain. Finally, I resigned myself to the circumstances, and called up one of my group members, who comforted me saying that they could conduct my Kettunira at one of the Ayyappa temples in Kerala, and I need not worry regarding that. Finally, after making arrangements for the same, and also having a word with my family members, I went to talk to my boss, asking for permission to leave on 6th afternoon, as there was a cheap flight ticket available for Calicut (Kozhikode) for the 6th evening.

There were certain specific reasons why I preferred the 6th evening flight, rather than others available for the 7th of Jan. Those details, and the details regarding the rest of the pilgrimage and events that took place later, will be posted in the coming parts of the 'Pilgrimogue'.... This 'Part 1' has gotten quite long, and I've been smart and shameless enough to be typing out all of this, sitting at office. I shall type out the remaining parts later, now I better get back to work...!


Paramashivan Putrane Sharanam Ayyappaa!


Ellaavarkkum Sadaa Sarva Mangala Pradaayakane Sharanam Ayyappaa! :-)