In the Maximum City of Mumbai, every colour of life is splayed out on a large canvas, including the fervour of festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi. India is a land of festivities. Thousands of festivals are celebrated with gusto all across the country, but Ganesh Chaturthi is by far one of the most popular. Over 10 joyful days, devotees worship the elephant-headed Lord Ganesha, affectionately called 'Bappa Moriya'. The God of wisdom and fortune is venerated as the remover of obstacles and the creator of happiness everywhere. But the power of his adulation is best experienced in the states of Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

One has to participate in the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai to realise not just its religious but also social undertones. The air is filled with the peppy beats of drums and the full-throated blow of trumpets. Artistically decorated Pandals and lovingly decked Mandaps are installed in every neighbourhood. Twinkling strings of lights and colourful flower garlands set the mood. Artisans spend days preparing clay idols of Ganesha in different poses and sizes. The Lord is welcomed with high spirits and positive vibes. Mumbai city pulsates with energy and enthusiasm.

Worshippers dedicate the mornings to performing puja in their own homes. They also prepare all of Ganesha's favourite sweet delicacies. Obligatory inclusions are the Modak, a dumpling of rice or flour stuffed with grated jaggery, coconuts and dry fruits; Puranpoli, a flatbread stuffed with lentils and jaggery and Laddoo, balls made or whole wheat, sugar, ghee and nuts. Ganesh Stuti (holy hymns) and devotional songs are sung in the mornings and evenings in praise of the Lord.

Like the rest of the pantheon of Indian Gods and Goddesses, Lord Ganesha has a unique persona. His trunk is a symbol of strength and wisdom. Large ears show that he listens to the prayers of his devotees. Three of his four hands hold a lotus (enlightenment), a hatchet (detachment with the materialism) and sweetmeats (fruits of good deeds). The fourth hand is always in 'Aashirwad Mudra' (blessing pose). The Lord is mostly portrayed with one foot on the ground and the other resting on his knee (living without attachment to material life). Lord Ganesha also rides on the back of a rat, representing the importance of controlling one's desires and senses.

Ardent worshippers offer salutations at the famous Siddhi Vinayak Temple in Mumbai. Community celebrations involve large processions carrying statues of mammoth proportions to the Arabian Sea. Chants of 'Ganapati Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya' (Goodbye Lord, please come back next year) reverberate, and the frenzy runs sky-high. This ritual, called 'Ganesh Visarjan', symbolises the return of the Ganesha to his abode after a stay of 10 days.

Of late, with environment-consciousness on the rise across the globe, there is a preference for eco-friendly idols. These clay or paper mâché idols, painted with organic paint, can be conveniently immersed at home. The 'Green Ganesha' revolution may have turned the festival into a more intimate affair, but it remains as lively in essence as ever.

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