Hindustan Times ·
100 years on, Mumbai’s old Ganesh mandals keep it simple
Of the 32 Ganesh mandals in the Mumbai region that are at least 100 years old, 24 are in and around Girgaon
Mumbai: Ganeshotsav in Mumbai today may be synonymous with towering idols, elaborate decorations and lakhs of devotees, but its roots lie in quieter, community-driven celebrations. Some of the city’s oldest Ganesh mandals continue to celebrate the festival just like their communities did a century ago, with modest idols, traditional rituals and intimate community gatherings.
Of the 32 Ganesh mandals in the Mumbai region that are at least 100 years old, 24 are in and around Girgaon, according to Khaki Tours, an organisation that conducts walks and tours across Mumbai.
At the 105-year-old Angrewadi Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal at VP Road in Girgaon, this year’s celebrations are particularly subdued. Two residents, Nitin Gadre and Swati Joshi, had travelled to Kailash Mansarovar last month and are among those reported missing following the recent flash floods in Nepal.
“Both used to actively participate in the festival. This year, the celebration is quite low-key and quiet because of what has happened,” said Milind Ponkshe, a member of the mandal.
The subdued festivities are a marked departure from the mandal’s origins. Angrewadi once had a predominantly Marathi population, with around 100 households contributing to the festival. The mandal’s Golden Jubilee in 1971 featured plays, religious programmes, mantra recitations and performances, with eight to 10 priests invited for the celebrations.
Today, only around 30 to 40 Marathi families remain in the locality. The mandal still celebrates Ganeshotsav for 10 days, with a two-and-a-half-foot idol. Eight to 10 priests continue to gather in the evening for mantra recitations, followed by aarti and a Sanskrit stuti dedicated to Lord Ganesh. It has also retained its tradition of preparing usal as prasad, with an acharya overseeing its preparation.
“The Marathi population in Angrewadi has reduced considerably, so we cannot organise as many programmes as we used to. We hold the puja and everyone comes together for a community meal,” said Ponkshe.
At Keshavji Naik Chawl on Khadilkar Road, the Shree Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Sanstha is celebrating its 133rd year. According to mandal members, Lokmanya Tilak visited the chawl and was hosted there in 1901. The celebrations remain deliberately modest, with no loudspeakers and a traditional two-foot idol installed in the small open space between the chawl buildings.
It was Tilak who had transformed a festival once celebrated quietly within homes into a public movement. At a time when the British administration had restricted political gatherings, he used the festival to bring people together and spread the message of Swarajya or self-rule. The Keshavji Naik Chawl became closely associated with this movement.
At King’s Circle, the Dakshini Brahmanwadi Mandal, which dates to 1925, continues to organise a two-day Ganpati for its 108 tenants. “The tradition so far has been to collect small quantities of grains from the residents and organise a Mahaprasad. Women who move out of the neighbourhood after marriage would return to participate in the puja. We would also organise Marathi plays and orchestras. This year, none of those programmes are being held. However, the Ganpati celebration is still for two days, and the idol continues to be brought from Pen,” said Rahul Joshi, a member of the mandal.
For Bharat Gothoskar of Khaki Tours, these surviving traditions explain why Girgaon remains central to Mumbai’s Ganeshotsav story. “People are often astonished to learn that many of the mandals along the route have been celebrating Ganeshotsav for more than a hundred years. Girgaon is, without doubt, the cradle of Ganeshotsav in Mumbai,” he said.