Dhollywood’s all set to welcome Ganpati Bappa

When the tunes of Vakratund Mahakaay or Shree Ganeshaay Dhimahi reverberate in the neighbourhood, when Gulbai Tekra wears a vibrant and festive look and when streets are dotted with pandals and people chant Ganpati bappa morya to the beats of dhol as they bring the idol, it’s time to welcome Ganpati Bappa.
Ahmedabad Times finds out how D-towners plan to celebrate the festival.
Neil Bhatt
We started celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi at home from 2015. This year too, we would be welcoming the Lord. His throne would be adorned with materials designed by my mother and sister. We will immerse it after one and a half day. We will be having a few close friends and family members coming over. We have always had eco-friendly Ganpati because we are aware of the damage caused by other materials to the environment.
Jayaka Yagnik
The festival has become more special after I shifted to Mumbai, since the celebrations are so grand here. I never miss out on having a darshan at Andheri Cha Raja, where the idol stays for 21 days. Initially, I was pretty shy, but became a different person after I made friends in Mumbai. They started inviting me home for the festival. Given today’s busy lifestyle, these visits matter a lot. I love the motichoor ladoos. I have always loved visiting Harsha Jagdish’s (one of the writers of Chhuta Chheda) place during the festival, who has always made me feel special in Mumbai.
Esha Kansara
I have been living in Mumbai for close to nine years and Ganesh Utsav is celebrated with great zeal here. A lot of my friends have invited bappa and I will visit their homes. This time, one of my friends has an eco-friendly idol with seeds in it. After immersion, it will grow into a tree. I have been encouraging others to not use PoP idols. My mother also makes gud ke ladoo and puts coins in them. It is sort of a competition of who collects the highest value of coins.
Deeksha Joshi
I love going to different pandals and the creativity people show with design is mind-boggling. My best friend and I have a ladoo eating competition.
Shraddha Musale
For me, the festival is family reunion time. If it wasn’t for this festival, I wouldn’t have known my extended family. I love the festive vibes and energy of Ganpati coming and staying with us and feel blessed.
Monal Gajjar
I am not in Ahmedabad, but I will be coming specially to celebrate the festival in my new flat with close friends, family and those from the industry. This will be the third year that we will be bringing Bappa home.
Netri Trivedi
We celebrate the festival by bringing Ganesha at my grandparents’ house every year. It is celebrated in a way that it becomes family reunion and I look forward to it every year. I love the sweets, especially laddoo and modak.
Vyoma Nandi
Every year, I celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai with my family and friends who bring Bappa home. This time, I am busy shooting in Hyderabad and will miss out on the celebrations. As soon as I am back in Mumbai, I will visit Lalbaugcha Raja.
Tarika Tripathi
Ganesh Chaturthi has sweet childhood memories. I have studied in a school owned by a Jain family and they used to give us Paryushan holidays which were followed by second term exams. So, my parents would make me study the entire day and take me to pandals at night. This year, a cousin is bringing Ganesha home and we will celebrate it together. I strongly encourage the use of eco-friendly idols.