Ganaraj Yeti Ghara

Welcoming Ganapati and the preparations

I am back from Thal with loads of pictures and memories of a wonderful Ganpati and Gauri festivities. It was so special to be among family, relatives and friends. Thal is the land of convergence of the people living away from the village during this festival. Let me try to share the happiness I enjoyed there.

Our Ganesh Murti was a creation by a local artist in Thal, made with clay and mostly hand painted, because the body color is always spray painted. On the 10th night Sumeet and Sushil brought home the idol. As is the tradition they wrapped a large white handkerchief around bappa while the women at home drew five lines with rangoli as symbol of purity and placed a Paat /platform for the lord to sit and got the aarti ready to welcome him.

While bringing the lord home the men ensured that Ganpati Bappa was covered to save him from evil eye. We welcomed him by first waving a jar of water around the idol and pouring it on the feet of the person carrying the idol. Then  unrapped him and did aukshan or aarti.

That night the men assembled the specially made set. The decoration were made with Thermacol. I suggested going back to the ecofriendly cloth decoration we used in the earlier days. There was a uproar of laughter,  about how those mirror work curtains and toran from Khadi had been our signature for many many years.

I saw some new trends this time, the market had beautiful one time use jewelry for the lord. Sumeet had bought beautiful mukut (crown) and KaNThi (necklaces). I had bought lovely footprint stickers with shiny stones and satin ribbon rose garlands.

There was so much excitement and I was thrilled as I was attending Ganpati after 5 years. Some one was cleaning the durva (grass with cooling medicinal properties). One was assembling the electricals, other tying the crown and me trying to help.

Come over tomorrow to read about the sthapana and pooja during Ganaraj's stay.