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City gets ready to welcome Ganpati

Last Updated 26 August 2014, 14:24 IST

If you think it's only Maharashtra that vibrates with the fervour of Ganpati bappa moriya, then think again! The national Capital is all set to welcome Ganpati, the deva of intellect and wisdom, also revered as the remover of obstacles and the patron of arts and sciences with full fervour.

Like last year, preparations for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations are in full swing. Hundreds of workers are working day and night making pandals across the city for the celebration that starts from August 29 onwards.

To make it special, idols of Lord Ganesha are being especially ordered from Mumbai and Pune to give true colours to the festival.

“For the last seven years, the idol of Lord Ganesha is bought especially from Mumbai from one of the best sculptors. Generally, the idol is about the height of six to seven feet, but this time it is 10 feet which adorns the unmatched grace and divinity of the god himself,” says Deepak Bharadwaj of Delhi Ka Raja Mandal in Ramesh Nagar.
 
“On the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi, there is a long shobha yatra of Ganeshji in and around the vicinity of Ram­esh Nagar. After completion of Shobha Yatra, there is the pran pratistha and sthapna of the idol with mantras, vidhis and poojan by the acha­r­yas. When it comes to the bhog offering, 1008 laddo­os (Sahstra Moddak) and 56 bhog are cooked and offered to Ganeshji,” says Bharadwaj, elaborating on the preparations.

After week-long cultural activities which include religious discourse, several competitions for youngsters, the mandal will immerse the idol of Lord Ganesha in the Yamuna on September 8.

Likewise Purvanchal Maharashtra Mandal in Anand Vihar will celebrate their 31st Shri Ganesh Festival till September 2. “We will worship the idol for five days and thereafter, we will immerse the idol in river Hindon, Ghaziabad. A proper procession will start from 11 am onwards from Shri Ram Mandir,” says Prashant Sathe, general secretary of the mandal.

During the five-day celebration there will be kirtan by Santosh Purandare of Gwalior, fancy dress competition for children and one act plays by the artistes of the mandal. Also, atharvashirsh recital, drawing, rangoli , handwriting and cookery competition will be conducted throughout the day.
Dilli Ka Maharaja of Laxmi Nagar, which will be celebrating 13th Ganesh Mahotsav see themselves as ‘different’ from other mandals.

“While other organisations, including Maharashtra Sadan, celebrate the festival totally in Marathi by doing pooja and aarti in Marathi language, our organisation is the only one in Delhi which celebrates it in North Indian language keeping in mind other groups and society of Delhi,” Mahendra Ladda, founder and chairman of the mandal.

They too will worship the idol for 11 days at DDA mini stadium, Bank Enclave, Laxmi Nagar. The main attraction will be the more than six feet idol of Ganpati which has been especially ordered from Pune. “The idol is eco-friendly as it’s is made of clay instead of plaster of Paris. Also it is painted with natural colours,” says Ladda.

Adding to the festivity are numerous mobile applications on Lord Ganesha’s bhajans (devotional hymns) and games where Lord Ganesha collects and eats as many laddoos as possible while dodging demons, are gaining popularity among enthusiasts.

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(Published 26 August 2014, 14:24 IST)

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