Maharashtra welcomes Ganpati Bappa as celebrations begin across the state

The festival, the biggest event for Maharashtra--which from now onwards would be celebrated as Rajya Mahotsav or State Festival--falls from 27 August-6 September.

Mumbai: Amid chants of  'Ganpati bappa morya, mangal murti morya’ and aartis of ‘sukh karta dukh harta’,  the 11-day-long Ganeshotsav commenced in Maharashtra on Wednesday with people welcoming Lord Ganesha into their homes.

The festival, the biggest event for Maharashtra--which from now onwards would be celebrated as Rajya Mahotsav or State Festival-- begins from 27 August to 6 September. 

All across the state, idols of Lord Ganesh were seen being installed in people' homes, housing complexes and public mandals. 

On the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi,  ‘sthapana’ pooja was   performed followed by traditional 'aartis' to mark the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed-pot-bellied God of wisdom, brings in prosperity and good fortune.  

Ganapati stands as a symbol of knowledge, as the lord of the lords as ‘Ganadhipati’ as the remover of obstacles ‘Vighnaharta'.

The one-and-a-half-day immersion would be held on 28 August, three day on 28 August, five-day on 31 August, seventh day on 2 September and eleventh and final day on 6 September, which is Anant Chaturdashi. 

Ganeshotsav is the biggest festival of Maharashtra – with the golden triangle of Mumbai Metropolitan Region-Pune-Nashik being the epicentre of the celebrations.

In Mumbai, there was festive look at  the Lalbaug-cha-Raja at Lalbaug, Ganesh Gully, Lalbaug, Tejukaya Mandal, Lalbaug, GSB Seva Mandal, Matunga-Kings’ Circle, GSB Sarvajanik Ganeshutsav Samiti, Wadala, Kethwadi, 11 thLane, Kethwadi, 12th Lane, Sahyadri Mandal, Tilak Nagar-Chembur, Shri BalGopal GaneshUtsav Mandal, Marine Lines, Fort Vibhag Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, Fort, Andheri-cha-Raja or the Azad Nagar Sarvajanik Utsav Samitee at Andheri.

In Pune, there was huge gathering at  Tulsi Baug Ganpati, Guruji Talim Ganpati, Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganpati, Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati, Shree Kasba Ganpati and Kesri Wada Ganpati. 

In Nagpur, people thronged Tekdi Ganpati, Adasa Ganesh Mandir, Ashtadashbhuja Ganesh Mandir at Ramtek and Reshambaug Ganpati.

The public celebrations of Ganeshutsav were inspired by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1893 in Pune and Shree Sarvajanik Ganeshutsav Sanstha at Keshavji Naik Chawl at Khadilkar Road in Girgaum in Mumbai. 

The Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati Trust has maintained that the Ganeshotsav in Pune was started by Bhausaheb Rangari in 1892.

Thereafter it spread to other parts of Mumbai and Pune and elsewhere. 

The year 2025 marks the 133nd year of the public Ganesh festival.

In the entire state, by some estimates, more than 10 to 12 lakh idols of Lord Ganesh of various sizes  are installed in homes, housing complexes and public places - which are immersed on completion of one-and-a-half-days, three days, five days, seven days and 10 or 11 days.

As Ganeshotsav is declared as state festival, the  Maharashtra Tour Guides and Tourists Facilitators Association, in association with Tour Guides Association-Mumbai and Maharashtra Tourism, is specially conducting pandal hopping tours during the festival. 

The five Mumbai pandals are - Fort Cha Icchapurti Ganesh, Keshavji Naik Chawl, Girgaum, Mumbai Ka Raja, GaneshGalli, Lalbaug, GSB Seva Mandal Ganpati, King’s Circle, GSB Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samiti, Wadala and Chinchpoklicha Chintamani.