Ganesh
Chaturthi is one of the most important festivals celebrated in Goan households.
The sarvajanik Ganesh festival here is definitely not as grand as it is in the
metros like Mumbai or Pune, but it’s surely a big family affair. Goan ancestral
houses that are usually deserted throughout the year or are occupied by a few
people, come alive with all the family members, friends and distant relatives
gathering to celebrate the traditional festival together with their kin. It’s
that time of the year when the city people leave their urban lifestyle to go
back to their roots to celebrate Ganesh as their families have been doing it,
generation after generation. And as it’s meant to be, the gathering isn’t just
limited to celebrating the festival; it’s an activity that bonds the family
members who are otherwise miles apart and hardly get a chance to meet and
interact.
Pradip
Lotlikar from Britona says, “The Ganesh festival in my house was started by my
great-grandfather, around 100 years ago. We have a big house in Britona, where
once my grandfather and his siblings resided. Now, only a few of us continue to
stay in the ancestral house. However, all my siblings and cousins make it a
point to come and stay there for the three- or five-day Ganesh festival.
Relatives come not just from different parts of the state but from all over India.
As we don’t meet often, these get-togethers are very special to us. It’s also a
chance for our children, who are the future of our family, to meet and know
their cousins.”
For
Upendra Gaunekar, who celebrates the festival at the family’s ancestral heritage
house in Ponda, the Ganesh festival preparations need to begin at least 15 days
prior. “Our family is now divided into three branches, and we all gather at our
age-old house for Ganesh. It’s a huge house, and only a few people stay there.
So our Ganesh prep begins with activities like cleaning the house, getting our
140-year-old ‘makhar’ decorated, storing enough grocery and so on. We
all share the responsibility and get the work done. The festival lasts for
three days. Every year, my cousins and I try to relive our childhood days by
playing different games like Khamyani. Ganesh festival means a lot to us
‘Goenkars’, and celebrating it with the whole family makes it even more
valuable,” shares Gaunekar.
Most
of the family members of Shrikant Kamulkar from Dhargal stay in different parts
of Goa, so they come together several days before the festival to start with
the decorations. “Every year, we have spectacular decorations, mostly inspired
from mythological stories. The festival lasts for around 5 to 7 days, and we
have a lot of fun participating the the various family activities, right from
putting up the decorations to singing aarti and bhajans. I hope
that even our future generations will keep this tradition alive, and continue
to celebrate the festival in a similar manner, over the years to come.”
Shobha
Savardekar, a resident of Corlim, is full of excitement as she explains how
Ganesh is celebrated at her husband’s ancestral house in Savarde. “The
Savardekar family consists of more than 200 members, who stay in different
parts of Goa, India, and some even abroad. Yet, most of the members make it a
point to come home for Ganesh,” states Savardekar. As it’s the only occasion
for most of these people to meet up with each other, they try to spend maximum
time together, making each moment memorable for one another. “We have grand
sessions of ghumat aarti, where not just the Savardekars, but other
village members also participate actively. We have sessions where all the
family members sit together and talk about their lives; the children play with
each other, show their talents to other family members and so on. Ganesh
celebration also gives us the chance to introduce the new members of the family
to everybody as well as teach the traditional customs of the family to the
younger generation,” maintains Savardekar.
A
large number of households in Goa turn Ganesh Chaturthi into a happy family
bonding activity, which is needed in order to instil the values of family and
togetherness in the generation that grows up in a nuclear setup. Though elders
do express concern over these traditions facing extinction someday, looking at
the enthusiasm of the youngsters of today, who wait for these days of the year,
that day is still a long way away.
