Creating larger-than-life
themes that replicate something topical take a lot of planning. Here are
some of the popular ones in the city this year
In a bid to move away from
the regular, Mum baikars have chosen to celebrate the upcoming
Ganeshotsav with a twist. Right from celebrations to themes, people are
using their imagination to stand apart from the rest.
UNUSUAL DECOR
M innat Doshee, 23, uses everyday items to design the mandir for the idol with the help of her father. So, while the idol is eco-friendly, in the last few years, she has made mandirs out of CDROMs, ice-cream cups, foam mats, toothbrushes and even eye-drop bottles! This year, she has made a mandir out of pens.
BUMPER SEASON FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES
Insurance cover offers protection against damage to the idol and pandal due to fire or other incidents, jewellery, personal accident for devotees, apart from insurance against terrorist attacks.Mandals across Maharashtra have taken cover worth of `480-500 crore. GSB Seva Mandal GSB Seva Mandal Kings Circle has taken a cover of `237 crore.Lalbaugcha Raja, the most popular mandal, has been insured for `51 crore.Andhericha Raja has secured a cover of `5.98 crore.Pune's Dagdusheth Ganpati temple has taken a cover of `40 lakh.
CELEBRATIONS WITH A TWIST
Many youngsters' approach towards night-outs also changes this time of the year. Priyum Mody and his college friends, who graduated last year, find unique ways to spend more time with each other. They take off on a Saturday night, visit Ganpati mandals starting Andheri and end it with an early m morning visit to the Lalbaugcha Raja. Raviza Chauhan, 22, too, has been for idol, one such mandal hopping. “There were different dhol groups performing, to th which also included an all-women's group. I saw the festival in a different mill light altogether. I might just repeat the same this year,“ she says. and While some decide to gorge on modaks, others have found alternatives en to keep a check on the calories. Abhinav Pandey , a media professional, has wi decided on hosting a `naariyal paani night' for his friends. “It's going to be a s detox night, as people tend to have too many sweets during Ganpati. Once everyone is done with the darshan, the party will commence at 10 pm.“
IDOL IMMERSIONS WITH A DIFFERENCE
V isarjans have become an impor tant facet of the festival and require a lot of planning. The 16year-old Dance Ganesha festival, which was earlier known as Trance Ganesha, starts from Mahalakshmi Temple and ends at Worli on the 10th day of the festival. As many as 10,000 people join the celebrations. “We believe in maintaining the sanctity of the festival and thus, the music played has shlokas and chants Despite the large numbers, we ensure that everyone is safe; there have been no safety concerns even in the past,“ says DJ Asad, the man behind the festival.
For those managing trucks with idols and handling queues Lokhandwala resident Ayush Mehra and his boy gang distribute food items and water. “We've been doing this for the past three years with the . help of contributions made by a lot of people. It feels great and the joy is multiplied when we start dancing with devotees,“ he says. Media stu dent Shravan Ajay enjoys photogra phy and thus, along with his friends, he takes off for Girgaum-Chowpatty , on a bike to capture the processions.
THEMATIC BAPPA
The devotees go to great lengths to exe cute their concept every year. These concepts are either based on mythologi cal significance or depict social mes sages that are of relevance during the festival. “My family is very enthusiastic when it comes to decking up bappa's dar bar. This year we have chosen the theme Swachh Bharat Abhiyan,where the ido will be in Gandhi avatar,“ says Umesh Thanawala, a resident of Charni Road.
CHAL BHAIYA SELFIE LE LE
In the past devotees had deigned the idol doing quotidian jobs. Looks like clicking selfie comes very naturally to everybody, now we have idols where Ganpati is clicking a selfie with his family,capturing happy moments and creating memories.
NOT JUST THE IDOL AND DÉCOR EVEN THE PRASAD HAS A THEME
There are many people who follow a particular theme for their Ganpati but the Joshi family not only makes the themed idol at home, they also decorate the mandap accordingly, wear clothes and make the prasad for Ganpati as per the current year's theme. “Last year we had a Bengali theme and made our Ganpati idol like Ma Durga, killing the asura. The décor was Bengali and my family wore the state's traditional attire. Our Prasad was rosogullas and other Bengali fare,“ says Santosh Joshi, an author and past-life therapist. A few years ago they had Kerala theme with backwater décor and traditional outfits and Prasad. This year the family has Koli theme with typical vegetarian Maharashtrian food as Prasad. They will be dressed as kolis too.
-Inputs from Debarati.Sen@timesgroup.com
