Ganpati is here! TV actors tell us what they love about their favourite God and how they wish to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi

Shubhaavi Choksey 

Thanks to my husband, this will be the 3rd year that we have Bappa coming home. We keep him for only one and a half days and since our entire family thinks a lot about nature, we have only got and will only get eco-friendly Ganesha. I guess getting him home has been a start for us to get more spiritual and connected to the supreme being. The aarti gets a vibration in our home that we haven’t experienced before. It’s a feeling of content for Harshal, Arhaan and all the family. In fact, my son cried the first year when we had to do visarjan. Last year, not only him but all of us were teary-eyed too. But then, we start looking forward to the coming year when we do the visarjan. 

Shridhar Watsar 

It is always so pleasant at Ganpati. I don't personally like the loud sound of speakers. We do keep Ganpati every year, not at my home but at my second home where my mom and dad reside. For 7 days we have him. Whatever I am today, I feel that is because of the blessings of my parents, fans, and Bappa. 

Avinash Mishra 

I came to Mumbai on 17th July 2016 and from that year to the previous year, it’s been 3 years I haven’t missed Ganpati celebration at Siddhivinayk Mandir. Every year, I go with my friends and stand in line at 3 am so that I don’t miss the morning aarti and this year too, me and my friends are ready to welcome Bappa. During 2016 Ganpati celebrations, I signed my first show Sethji on Zee TV, what else I can ask for? And every Ganpati something good happens with me either in my personal life or professional. 

Amal Sehrawat 

Since I have moved to Mumbai from Delhi, Ganpati has become an important part of my life.  I not only visit my friend's place for Ganpati darshan but also take my son to see Sarvajanik Ganpatis and melas. Years ago, I visited Andheri Cha Raja during my first year in Mumbai. The next day of my darshan is the day I signed my first film, it will indeed be a special memory all my life.

Mreenal Deshraj 

I have immense faith in Bappa and love to visit various pandals every year. It is one festival I like to stay in the city and absorb all the culture in. Mumbai turns its celebration mode on for 11 days of fun and the whole city is at its energetic peak and I love it. I like to celebrate with my community and visit close friends. The concept of sarvajanik Ganesh utsav created by Lokmanya Tilak is etched in my mind and I like to promote it in the same way. We all, as a community, come close and help each other with the blessings of the almighty. Ganpati brings happiness. My friends, who are like a family to me, visit me and we share some precious moments under the gaze of Bappa. Ganpati also brings awareness. I am from Nagpur and I know that Mumbai is a big city and thus, the people here are more aware. But the city of Nagpur is also becoming aware. I always choose the environment-friendly Ganpati for my home. I think if we all do this together then we can make sure that our future generations will also have the right opportunity to celebrate this festival as we did. 

Arun Mandola

Like every Mumbaikar, I am also waiting for Ganpati celebrations. I am very excited for Ganpati Mahotsav. This month is pious for Mumbaikars.

When I came to Mumbai, Ganpati Mahotsav was going on at the time. I cannot forget those days, Dhol sounds everywhere with Rim jhim rain and a full-on positive atmosphere. So it felt like someone welcomed me. I feel today whatever I am, it’s because of lord Ganesha. I never thought that Mumbai will accept me and it is said without God’s permission, you can’t do anything in this universe. So I am waiting for his permission that soon I will keep him at home but as of now I am not keeping Ganpati at home. 

Munisha Khatwani 

My Ganpati celebrations are nothing special, I will definitely visit my family and friends. I have list of places to visit like Manish Paul’s house,  Debina's house, Delnaaz and few of the TV friends who have kept Ganpati and warmly invited me. So the whole day will go in visiting. I do not keep Ganpati as of now but hopefully, after I get married, I will. Ganpati has been very cute for me. I have a very friendly relationship with him, I talk to him as a friend. I don't have any specific example but I have noted down the festival saying that he is Vignaharta. So anytime I had any major obstacle, I have turned towards him to remove the Vigna into my life. This is how my relationship is with Ganesha.

Ira Sone 

I am keeping Ganpati at my place for 1 and a half days. I started this ritual last year and I intend to continue this as long as I can. I think Ganesh Chaturthi is a very special time, everyone is happy,  everything is very bright,  Mumbai is lit up. Ganpati is very special to me. Also, I got my first show at the time of Ganesh Chaturthi so I am very thankful to Lord Ganesha for that. 

Aastha Chaudhary 

I used to keep Ganpati at my place but not anymore. I kept Ganpati Bappa for 3 years. I have decided that whenever I get married I will keep Ganpati, so after getting married, I will keep it forever. Now, I visit my friend’s place. Ganpati always used to fascinate me always. I get a very family feeling from Ganpati Bappa so I treat them like my brother. This festival brings me happiness. It’s a very festive atmosphere,  where everyone is coming to your place and enjoying. So, happiness is the things which he has got in our life. I have always kept eco-friendly Ganpati. I remember he was so small that the fruits which I had kept in front of him they were looking bigger than him in pictures. It was a very cute eco-friendly Ganpati.  After the first year, I decided that from next year I will do the visarjan at my home itself because he was made of clay anyway. Kiran Bhargav ji had told me a very interesting thing that when she used to do the visarjan at home,  after the visarjan she used to put seeds in it and then she used to grow plants, so even I had done it and I decided to do that ahead in life as well. 

Atul Verma

Every year, we wait for Ganpati to come and bless us. I am so blessed to be part of this city and again witness Ganesh Chaturthi.  The best part of this year’s Ganpati is that my parents will come. They came over in 2015 last. This year they have shifted here permanently by the grace of almighty Lord Ganesha. This is something I always asked for and it finally happened. Nothing better could have happened to me than this. Till now there is no plan of keeping Ganpati this year but yes there could be a plan in the future. And as I already mentioned this city belongs to Ganpati ji. He is the sarvesarva , I feel with his permission and blessings we have settled down permanently in this city otherwise shifting with the whole family in Mumbai would have not been that easy. It's like a dream come true for me. 

Rehaan Roy 

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the biggest festivals in India, especially in Mumbai. Mumbai looks totally different during the festival. My plans for this year is to spend this festival with my friends. Most of my friends are keeping Ganpati at their home. So, I’ll visit them. We also have plans to have lunch and dinner at my friend's place. So that’s all that I have planned as of now. Rest I’m looking forward to a great festive season. I request all my fans and loved ones who are keeping Ganpati, to use eco-friendly idols and make this festival even more beautiful for us and for our environment as well. I wish everyone a very happy festive season. 

Ankit Bathla 

I am fortunate to get Bappa home again this year and what’s special is my sister is coming with her husband and she just got married, so I am excited to host them. My theme this year is sunrise. I want the sun of happiness and its bright light to spread in my life and others around.  Yes, I am getting Ganpati this year, it will be my 6th year to get the idol. We keep Ganesha for 1.5 days. I wanted to start keeping Ganpati when I buy my own house however I couldn’t resist and I started way earlier but this year Bappa is finally coming to my house and I have been waiting for this for a long time now. We are lucky that whenever Bappa comes home there is also a real rat who comes with him from where we don’t know and he is spotted only when Bappa comes home. Hopefully, I’ll see him again this year and get his blessings. 

Rohitashv Gour 

Ganapati celebrations have already started at our place. I have been getting Ganapati Bappa from the last 10 years. We have always tried and got eco-friendly ganpatis only. We not only get eco-friendly Ganpati but even tell others to do so. Many people in my building have started getting clay Ganpatis which was initially started by my wife. From the time Ganapati has entered our life, it has become far better than it was. We used to stay in a very small house before, there too we used to get the idol and now we have a big house because of his blessings. I have a good show which is loved by everyone in India all because of him. We started getting Ganpati after I got married because my wife is a very big follower of Ganpati and before marriage, she had made me visit all the pandals in Mumbai. I feel that it has bought a lot of changes in my life, I have got a step more spiritual than I was before. My career has also been doing really well. So Ganpati has been really important to me. We have been happy from the time he has entered our life. Ganpati Bappa Morya.

Amit Sarin 

This is our 8th year of bringing Ganpati home. Last year was our 1st Ganesh Chaturthi here in LA but my wife managed to bring Ganpati home and we invited our friends, mostly Americans here to do Aarti and have Prasaad together. This year too, we plan to bring Ganapati home for at least 5 days and we will be inviting all our friends to pray together and have prasad together. We started bringing Ganapati home from the very 1st year of our 1st child Vaeda coming in our life and as a thank you, we started celebrating it. The credit of this entirely goes to my wife for celebrating Ganpati in such a magnificent way and not breaking the continuity even here in LA.  My kids love Ganpati and we want them to remember the way we use to celebrate in India. This year also they are looking forward to bring Ganpati home. Ganpati has been very lucky for us and my wife believes that good things happen in our life around because of lord Ganesha and I can’t disagree with her on that. So, thank you Gannu Baba! We are looking forward to welcoming you this year once again to enlighten our life and to celebrate you. 

Reyaansh Vir Chadha 

I will be keeping Ganpati for one and a half-day at my place. The decorations will start 2 days prior to the date. My family and I get very excited each year for Ganesh Chaturthi as we feel that he gets happiness in our lives and takes away all the problems. There is a positive atmosphere when he comes home and I love that vibe being around. I always get an eco-friendly Ganpati, who's virsarjan I do at my home itself and then use that mud for planting. 

Shashank Vyas 

There are no big plans for Ganesh Chaturthi. I might be visiting my friends who get Ganesha in their houses. Bappa is my favourite and I always believed that first I was living in Mahakal's house in Ujjain and now in Mumbai which is his son's place. I have actually felt his presence in my life many times.

Pranitaa Pandit 

This year I have decided that I am going to visit at least 11 Ganpatis. I am really looking forward to Lalbaugcha Raja. I will visit my friends who get Ganpati. I always enjoy this festive season. This year, I am not keeping Ganpati at home because there is construction happening at my place, so I am going to visit my friends. Ganpati has always been a very important part of my life. He is one God who kids and every one of us love. He is very cute, he makes me happy,  he gives me a lot of peace. I have experienced the atmosphere during Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai , there is so much of positivity,  love, and happiness. I think the festive season starts with Ganpati so this is the start of every beautiful occasion for the year.