KOCHI: The communities of Marathas, Gujaratis, Rajasthanis, and others came together to celebrate Ganesh Utsav with much grandeur in the city this year. For over a century, the 10-day festival has been a major celebration in Mattancherry.
It is said that Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji encouraged people to make Ganesh Chaturthi a grand public fest to promote bonhomie and patriotic sentiment while resisting Mughal invaders in Maharashtra.
In 1893, when the British banned public gatherings to curb political meetings, Indian nationalist leader Bal Gangadhar Tilak revived the festival. Tilak’s call played an integral role in galvanizing people to fight unitedly for the common cause of freedom.
As per tradition, before the visarjan (immersion in water), the idol is taken on a procession. “Hundreds of people join the procession,” says Jayant Pithadia, a former media artist and Ganesh Utsav coordinator.
“They dance and chant Ganapati Bappa Morya, and the Nasik Dhol on the final day is a one-of-a-kind experience. The big idol is taken to Fort Kochi Beach for visarjan on Ro-Ro,” he says.