Ganpati Bappa Morya !!!
Every year, the months of August-September witnesses a lot of activity and excitement in every nook and corner of Nagpur. All this activity and excitement is the indicator to the much awaited festival - Ganeshotsav!
This festival marks the presence of our favorite Ganpati Bappa in our homes and hearts.
Mass celebration of Ganeshotsav was started by Lokmanya Tilak in the year 1894. The motive behind this was to increase communication between people, share thoughts of Swaraj and thus fuel the freedom struggle with the common man’s contribution. But, over the period of times, this mass celebration has changed agendas. Every year, the city witnesses thousands of Ganeshotsav celebrations from various areas. The trends of these celebrations tend to change every year.
Photos by BohemianAnarchy
To make any Ganeshotsav ideal and productive for the Mandals , some of the following points may prove to be useful:
1. Ganesh Murti:
The idol of the lord is the most important factor while conducting this festival. Recently, idols in various shapes colors and sizes have come in the market. One must realize that every god has a stereotypical look and feel that should not be tampered with. One may see ganesh idols with unacceptable props and clothes. This is one front where its best not to experiment.
The murti should look serene and calm. Everyone comes to god with a host of wishes and grievances. A calm looking sweet idol is always comforting and it amplifies the sacredness of the place.
Now a days we see a lot of Idols made of Plaster of Paris (POP). POP does not easily dissolve in water and the idol may float on water after Visarjan. The contamination caused by POP is another reason why you should not prefer a Plaster of Paris idol.
2. Vargani:
The donation that comes to the organization conducting the festival must be handled carefully. Money matters should be clean and transparent. Valid bills and receipts must be an integral part of the calculation of expenses. One must not forget that this money belongs to the society and hence one is answerable to people. All this money must be put to good use. Any foul play in money matters might have serious implications. When one works for god, one must work with a clean heart and character.
3. Programs:
All the programs for the 10 days must be carefully planned taking into consideration the various age groups in a society. The programs must be of interest to everyone.
One must not forget the vision the celebration was started with- Communication amongst masses. All the programs must aim at active participation from every age group and gender. Children, youth, mid-aged and senior citizens all are a part of the society and hence must be given equal importance.
One must include programs that aim on health, sports, entertainment. One must address any important health, social or political issue of public interest.
4. Ambience:
One must not forget that when one works for spiritual events, the complexity of the situation increases. It is very important to maintain the ambience and serenity of the place. We as young people sometimes end up using foul words or unacceptable exclamations. It is essential to avoid such mistakes at a place of spiritual importance.
All the musical programs that are conducted must take into consideration senior citizens, babies, ill people and students while they play loud music. The celebration is for the society and not just for the bunch of people organizing it.
If one takes into consideration the above points, one can organize an ideal Ganeshotsav that aims at the social development of our country’s children and youth and will definitely contribute in making a healthy nation.
