International Ganesh Festival 2023: Inside Day 1 Of Maharashtra Tourism’s One Of A Kind Celebration Of Culture And Tradition

As I touched down in Mumbai for the Directorate of Maharashtra Tourism's International Ganesh Festival 2023, the city of dreams extended its warm welcome with a downpour, I couldn't be happier. Soon I found myself tapping my feet standing amidst a bunch of artists playing traditional instruments, especially the dhol, the electrifying beats added to the festive mood in a jiffy.

That was it, the moment I realised that the zeal was different. Maharashtra's connection with Ganesh Chaturthi is like no other. It is tied to multiple aspects at once, the state's history, culture, tradition, in short, an extravaganza.

Yes, it is that time of the year again, the much-awaited Ganesh Festival is here. This year, for me, the celebrations took a completely different approach with the Directorate of Tourism, Maharashtra extending a warm invitation to HerZindagi for the International Ganesh Festival 2023.

I knew that the event would be a celebration of culture and tradition that would unfold as we get to explore the other side of Mumbai and the explored gem, Palghar, by being a part of the festivities, the festive music, food, and traditional rituals. Now that I am here, experiencing it all, I am absolutely thrilled, the excitement is bubbling over.

International Ganesh Festival 2023 By The Directorate Of Tourism, Maharashtra

Ganesh Chaturthi's grand celebrations are held across India, especially in Maharashtra where the cityscape is dotted with beautiful Ganpati pandals for ten days. The festivities are marked by elaborate decorations of homes, temples, processions, and finally the immersion of Ganesh idols in a water body.

With tears of joy, devotees bid a heartfelt farewell to Lord Ganesh, celebrating his wisdom and simultaneously, the new beginnings in their life. While the state at large is known for the Ganpati Utsav, little does the world know of the celebrations that take place across the unfamiliar places across the state, for instance, Palghar.

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Dharmin Parekh, Tour Manager for Maharashtra Tourism's International Ganesh Festival 2023 from Thomas Cook speaking of the aim behind the grand event said, "The motive is to give more tourism to Palghar as it is a lesser-known tribal area, home to unexplored places, cuisines, and activities. We are doing it, especially during Ganesh Chaturthi since it is the main season for people in Maharashtra. You get to see the maximum number of Pandals here in Palghar. We want people to come and explore Palghar, especially during the festive season."

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Dhekale: An Unexplored, Ethereal Tribal Village

Day 1 encompassed giving us a glimpse of the tribal side of Palghar, a lesser-known district in Maharashtra (Places To Travel Around Mumbai To Beat The Heat). A walk through Dhekale, the hot water springs, the revered temples among the locals, lush greens across the Dhekale dam, and beautiful water streams was enough to give me a flavour of the district. Each nook and corner seemed untouched, beauty so captivating that my camera just couldn’t justify the beauty of the place. As I walked through the narrow lanes of the village, I could see the homes, locals clad in festive fervour, half prepping for Lord Ganpati’s arrival, others already in the mood, set with the dholaks in place, getting everyone together for that evening dance ritual.

The Ganpati mandap was set, decorated with a thick red and gold sheet, colourful fairy lights, a revolving light in the centre, and colourful flower strings. I was told that the entire village got together for the mandap preparation and contributed in their own little way to curate it all. A framed Lord Ganpati picture reading Lord Ganpati’s maha mantra “Vakratunda mahakaaya, Suryakoti samaprabha Nirvighnam kuru me deva, Sarvakaaryesu sarvadaa” was placed just near the mandap for the visitors to come and pay their respects to the elephant-headed Hindu God.

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We were lucky enough to get to the mandap just in time when the evening singing-dancing ritual began and we couldn’t resist. Soon, it was time to head back and prepare for the big arrival of Lord Ganpati to mark new beginnings.

We are here at the International Ganesh Festival, the heart of Ganpati festivities and we will be bringing you exclusive stories from the celebrations, Maharashtra’s lesser-known gems and a lot more. Stay tuned and don’t forget to check out our social media handles for exclusive pictures and videos from the celebrations here in Palghar and Mumbai.