MUMBAI: Vaibhav Sharma
Every festival is significant for my family, but comparatively, Ganesh Chaturthi is not celebrated as much in the northern parts of India, especially in Punjab. Since I’m in Canada, I won’t be able to celebrate at home. I would visit my friends who bring Ganpati idols during the festival. I don’t miss any opportunity to participate in the holy communion. I enjoy the delicacies made during the festival. If I indulge in all the delicious treats (which I do), I work out more to balance things out. I pray to Bappa for health, success, and happiness.
Raviraa Bhardwaj
Ganesh Chaturthi is a big festival in my family, but I prefer to celebrate it in a small and intimate way. This festival is extra special for me as I have a very divine connection with Ganesh Ji. I've always been a devoted Ganesh bhakt, so I like to keep my celebrations private. My plans include visiting various Ganesh pandals in Mumbai, especially the larger ones like Lalbaugcha Raja. Many of my friends also host Ganpati at their homes, and I always make it a point to visit them and pray together. It's such a beautiful feeling of camaraderie, and it feels like being with family whenever you go to a friend’s Ganesh pandal. I usually keep the celebration at home for just two days, and it’s a very small, personal affair. I do all the Ganesh aartis myself. No matter how busy I am with work, shooting, or meetings, I always find time to visit my friends’ homes for Ganpati because it’s something I would never miss. In Mumbai, and across the country, the Ganpati fever is always high, and it truly takes centre stage. When it comes to blessings, I only ask for happiness and prosperity for myself and my family. As for the food, modaks are always prepared, but since I’m not much of a sweet tooth, I eat them in moderation. My fitness doesn’t take a backseat because I manage my diet carefully, even with all the delicious savoury items around. I just make sure to balance everything—it's not a big deal for me.
Rohit Choudhary
I lived in Delhi, but work brings me to Mumbai, though my roots are in Haryana. In our homes, no pooja is complete without Vighnaharta Ganapati Bappa. Embracing the Mumbai vibe, I learned that Ganapati Puja is a major festival here, and we brought Ganpati into our home. It’s a larger-than-life feeling. Praying to God is a very personal thing for me; it has a deeper spiritual meaning than anything else. My conversations with God are as much a part of me as breathing; they are part of my daily routine. I truly wish for a peaceful and safer India. I love homemade modak. A few modak are never bad for your health!
Hansa Singh
Being a North Indian we celebrate all festivals with gusto. But the way it’s celebrated in Maharashtra and Mumbai is huge fervour which now has caught up everywhere. So for me it’s Pooja and chanting. I always feel like celebrating it the way the world does. But then it’s a huge commitment. Given my life I would rather be committed in my way of worshipping than taking a commitment that I am not ready for. God will bless and is always blessing me. I don’t bring Gannu home. I have been blessed to visit various Ganapati in various locations in mumbai. And dresses up in all fineries meeting friends over Prasad is just perfect. Generally it rains on the first few days of the festival. So yes it gets difficult but then if He wishes then all happens with ease. I always ask for the well being of my parents n siblings and peace in our lives. I never ask for less as I am always grateful for having his grace on me and my family. That’s where my fitness never takes a backseat. I need blessings and a bit of Prasad. Less is more
Kapil Nirmal
Every festival holds special meaning in our lives, and we celebrate them for their significance. At home, we have a permanent Ganesh Ji idol. On Ganesh Chaturthi, we clean it with water, milk, and other ingredients, then apply sindoor, silver leaf, and a tilak. We prepare dal baati choorma, offer bhog, and perform aarti. I plan to visit friends who bring the Ganpati idol, as it’s a great time to reconnect. While fitness takes a backseat, I enjoy sweets during this time, believing they’re essential to the celebration. This year, I’ll ask Bappa for health, wealth, and sanity.
Viraj Babbar
Where I grew up, Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated in our colony. For me, it's about getting together with friends, family, and neighbors—playing games, having a few competitions, and joking around. I always look forward to Ganesh Chaturthi, not just because those 10 days are full of fun, but because the atmosphere and the positivity that Lord Ganesha brings are unmatched. In Mumbai, Ganesh Chaturthi is so huge that people, including my friends, mostly stay up late at night. So even if I have an early call for a project, I can always visit them later. And if I have a call time the next morning as well, black coffee will take care of it. Ganesh Ji comes once a year; I can definitely manage my work around it. But I can’t miss the celebrations. Work goes on, and so does life. I have never asked anything for myself from the Lord (apart from video games, and that was when I was a kid). I always pray for my family, friends, and loved ones. I also pray for the stray animals that I care for.
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