Pune: Residents across the city have created special places to welcome their beloved deity home on Ganesh Chaturthi. From decorated corners in individual homes to elaborate arrangements in housing societies, preparations have been underway for days as families and communities prepare for the festival, which spans 12 days this year. Many devotees brought the idols home on Sunday, on the eve of the start of the festival, while others will bring Ganapati idols home on Monday.For several families, bringing the idol home a day early is both a practical decision and a way to begin the celebrations without the rush associated with the first morning of the festival.“We bring the idol home a day before to avoid the morning rush on the day of the festival. It is easier and more peaceful to bring Bappa home earlier rather than deal with the traffic and crowds in the morning,” said Sayali Gaikwad of Dhankawadi.For Sanjay Mhatre, an IT employee working in Mumbai for the past four years, Ganeshotsav is an annual journey back to Pune and a return to the family traditions he has grown up with.“Every year, I come back to Pune to celebrate Ganeshotsav with my family. In Mumbai, the celebrations are much bigger, and you see grand public festivities everywhere, but in Pune, there is a different sense of community. Families and neighbours come together, visit each other’s homes and follow their traditions, while the city’s old Ganapati celebrations are also a big part of the festival,” he said.For many such families, Ganeshotsav is not only about bringing an idol home but also about returning to rituals and routines that have been followed for generations.The first day of the festival brings together two family traditions for Rutuja Kulkarni — welcoming their own Ganapati home and visiting Pune’s iconic temples.“Visiting the five Manache Ganapati is a family tradition for us during Ganeshotsav. We start the festival by bringing our own Ganapati home. After the sthapana and puja, we visit Dagdusheth Ganapati with our extended family. Then we proceed to visit the Manache Ganapati temples. It gets too crowded to do this tour during the later days of the festival,” Kulkarni said.In housing societies, the arrival of Ganapati is also a cue for neighbours to move beyond their individual homes and gather as a community. Preparations for the festival often begin well in advance, with residents deciding on decorations, cultural programmes and activities that can involve people of different age groups.At a Kalyaninagar society, residents have chosen Char Dham as the theme for their annual skit. “Every year, we have different themes and put together a small skit. This year, it is Char Dham, and all residents come together for it,” said resident Deepa Khandelwal.The decoration features Vitthal, Ganapati and elements of the Warkari tradition, bringing together different aspects of Maharashtra’s religious and cultural heritage. The cast of the skit also spans generations, from a two-year-old to a 72-year-old resident. “We want the next generation to know what the Char Dham is and why these religious places hold importance,” Khandelwal said.For the residents, the activity is also an opportunity to ensure that children and younger members of the society are not merely spectators but active participants in the celebrations.The society’s Ganapati will arrive on the beats of dhol-tasha after residents collect the idol from the sponsor’s home. They take the idol around the society before installing it at the clubhouse. An aarti is organised by residents of different buildings, followed by prasad.“We have six buildings, and nobody should feel left out. We all come together for the celebrations,” she added.At a society in Undri, Ganeshotsav similarly gives neighbours something that busy everyday lives often leave little time for — the chance to meet, catch up and participate in activities together.“On regular days, everyone is busy with work and their own responsibilities, so we don’t really get the time to meet and interact with each other. During Ganeshotsav, people whom we may not see otherwise come down and spend time together,” said resident Ambika Singh.The celebrations at the society bring together residents across age groups. Children perform dances, while senior citizens sing and recite poetry. In the evenings, residents come together for a round of antakshari, followed by the aarti and prasad.“The children are very excited to perform during Ganeshotsav. We all look forward to this time of the year for these community activities,” Singh said.The duration of the celebrations also varies from family to family. While some families immerse their idols after a day-and-a-half, three, five or seven days, others keep them at home throughout the festival. Each household follows its own tradition, with the length of the stay often determined by family customs that have been passed down over generations.
