At Indresh Pradhan's house in Chembur, the Ganesh festival is not just about Lord Ganapati. Besides Lord Ganapati, Gauri (mother of Ganpati) too, is prayed and is part of the celebration..
“Gauri comes as per tithi (particular day of arrival) to her mother's home to take her son. This year it was Saturday. Hence we too, came along with her to our mother's house,” said Saili Madhavkar, Padhan's sister who has been visiting the house every year for the celebration. In households across Maharashtra that celebrate Ganesh festival, some bring home Ganpati and Gauri together, some have Gauri as per a particular time. Some have only Gauri or only Ganapati.
“In our house, we have Ganapati for five days. This year, he will leave on Monday along with his mother,” said Pradhan. Celebrations in the Pradhan household range from four to six days as per the tithi. Since it is a large family, over a period of time, it was decided that celebrations would rotate.
“In our house, we have been celebrating the Ganesh festival for generations. We trace our lineage to Bajiprabhu Deshpande, the general in the army of Shivaji Maharaj. As families grew, the eldest person would have Ganapati. But then we decided to have a common Ganapati that would rotate. So a family gets the chance to have Ganapati in their home once every five years,” said Saili.
This year it was the turn of her brother after five years. To ensure that the festival is eco-friendly, Indresh moved to a metal idol. Gauri, on the other hand, is made of grass, has a mask that is given fresh paint every year, and is made of clothes.
Post-celebration, after putting rice as part of the departure prayer, the Ganesh idol is immersed in bucket of water outside the home and kept back. “Gauri on the other hand is dismantled post the last puja. The grass is put into the soil to grow. The water in which the idol is immersed is used to water plants,” said Saili.
