12 september 2024 : Pankaj Tripathi, who grew up in Bihar, reflects on how his celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi changed after moving to Mumbai. He notes that Ganesh Chaturthi wasn’t widely celebrated in Bihar, where his family would perform simple puja and aarti. However, his experiences with the festival have deepened in Mumbai, where he now dedicates the entire seven days to the celebration.
Tripathi describes the festivities at his home as a communal event with around 50 guests daily, enjoying meals served on banana leaves and homemade prasad for Ganpati Bappa. He emphasizes the importance of eco-friendly practices, using a sustainable murti and performing visarjan at a local pond.
This year’s celebrations are especially poignant for Tripathi, as he is coping with the recent loss of his brother-in-law. He sees the festival as a way to navigate through his grief and embrace life’s lessons of perseverance.