•  Ganesha festival, also known as 'Ganesh Utsav' is the biggest festival in Sangli and the nearby areas of Maharashtra. During this festival, people first purchase Ganesh idols and take it to temples to offer prayer. These idols are again taken to their homes to worship for 8 to 10 days. Then it is immersed at Krishna River near Irwin Bridge.
• Huge Ganesh idols are worshipped at nicely decorated pandals, also known as Dekhavas for 8 to 10 days. These Dekhavas are organized by the Mandals, worked collectively for the entire locality.
• Various Mandals shouting the slogans of Ganpati Bapa Morya take out huge processions during the first day and the day of immersion of the idols throughout the city.
• People from the city and nearby towns, districts throng to witness the Ganesh festival celebrations. Huge money in terms of crores is spent on decorations of the pandals.

Lord Ganesha’s significance in Hindu mythology

• Ganesh Chaturthi is believed to mark the birth anniversary of the deity and is celebrated on the fourth day (chaturthi) of the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapada. Ganesha or Ganpati is the younger son of Lord Shiva and Parvati.
• He is believed to remove obstacles (hence Vighnaharta, one of his 108 names) and is invoked for blessings at the start of any endeavour as the lord of good beginnings.
• There are various stories about his birth. One legend narrates that Ganesha was created by goddess Parvati out of dirt and set to guard her privacy while she had her bath.
• When Ganesha stopped Lord Shiva from entering their abode, he got angry and severed Ganesha’s head. Parvati was heart-broken and to appease her, Lord Shiva fixed an elephant’s head on the child and thus, the elephant-headed Ganesha came into being. Another legend has it that Ganesha was created on request of the demigods to remove the rakshasas (demons) who were hindering them .

The history of the festival

• Its origins are related to the freedom movement. Back in 1893, freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak wanted to bring people together to create a feeling of patriotism. At a time when the British government frowned on Indians gathering together, Tilak urged people to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi publicly.

What are the idols made of?

• The initial idols were made of mud but over time, Plaster of Paris (POP) became quite common. However, the latter pollutes the rivers and clogs water sources and contains harmful levels of mercury and cadmium.
• With growing awareness, a lot of people are now opting for eco-friendly idols made of easily dissolvable soil, coconut husk, fish friendly foods, and plant seeds.

Which are the most famous pandals?

• Ganeshotsav is celebrated with a great deal of pomp and fervour in Mumbai. The must-visit pandals include Lalbaugcha Raja which is believed to fulfil wishes and attracts millions of visitors; Goud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) Seva Mandal at King’s Circle, which is considered to be one of the richest mandals and known for their gold idols in the past (this year they won’t feature an expensive idol); and the Keshavji Naik Chawl pandal in Girgaum, one of the oldest pandals (125-years-old) and the pandal where none other than Tilak had come as a visitor.

Which are the best places to buy modaks?

• If you are looking for Ukadiche Modak or steamed modak made of rice flour and stuffed with coconut, jaggery, and cardamom, head to Modakam near Prabhadevi or Aaswad in Dadar. For mawa modaks, visit Panshikar Sweets in Girgaon and Dadar.

Why don’t people look at the moon during Ganesh Chaturthi?

• A story goes that the moon once laughed at Lord Ganesha and the deity cursed the moon. Hence, anyone who looks at the deity on Ganesh Chaturthi has to face the brunt of false accusations.
• According to a legend, Lord Krishna looked at the moon during Ganesh Chaturthi and was cursed leading him to be falsely accused of stealing the precious jewel Syamantaka.