2013 Ram Maruti Road Dadar Ganapati pandal

A well-known landmark in central Mumbai is the Shiv Sena Bhavan, headquarters of the Shiv Sena political party. The organizers who have set up the Ram Maruti Road Ganapati pandal have this year re-created the Shiv Sena Bhavan. It has been done very realistically both on the exterior and in the interior. Do visit it!

2013 Dadarcha Raja Ganapati pandal

The photos in this blog post are of the Dadarcha Raja located at R.K.Vaidya Road, opp. Kotwal Udyan, Dadar (West), Mumbai.

Divekar Ganapati Murti Makers

The Ganapati idols here have been created by Divekar Ganapati murti makers.

They are based in Kalyan but you can see these idols at at Dadar, at R.K.Vaidya Road (opposite Kotwal Udyan), Dadar (West), Mumbai.

Why 21 modaks are offered to Ganapati

We well know that modaks are Ganapati’s favourite sweet food. However, few of us know how the modak came to be Lord Ganesha’s favourite food. Even fewer know why specifically 21 modaks are offered during a puja of Lord Ganesha during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

There is an interesting charming story behind this...

Why Ganapati idols are shown with musical instruments

Many idols of Gods and Goddesses are depicted holding a musical instrument. Some are directly associated with a specific instrument. For example, Goddess Saraswati with the veena, Lord Krishna with the flute, etc. 

The idols of Ganapati will often be seen having a musical instrument, maybe a flute or a mridangam or tablas.

Shubham Mangalmurti Arts Ganapati Murti Makers

Want to see a stunning range of Ganapati idols? Head to Shubham Mangalmurti Arts at Dadar. They truly have the widest range of Ganapati idols from small-sized ones to those over 4 feet in height. There are idols of Bal Ganesha, Lalbaughcha Raja, Ganesha and Shirdi Sai Baba, Ganapati playing instruments, Ganesha as Krishna, Bal Ganesha with his parents Lord Shiva & Goddess Parvati, etc. What's more, they are very life like, so much so that you feel as though one idol is smiling at you while another is listening attentively to what you have to say, while the mischief is evident in a Bal Ganesh murti.

The most unusual of them all is Lord Ganesha seated on Spiderman!! This idol is an indication that even superheroes are inferior to the heavenly beings. Also see their 2014 idols here.

Aarti MangalaGauri in Marathi words

The worship of Gauri is the worship of Goddess Parvati, mother of Lord Ganesha. There is a special fast known as Mangala Gauri, which is observed by married women, especially by a newly married lady. The meaning of Mangala is auspicious, so the Mangala Gauri puja means the holy or auspicious worship of Gauri. The vrat (vow & fasting) taken during Mangala Gauri is for the long & happy life of the husband & children and generally for marital happiness. The vrat is done on the four Tuesdays of the month of Shravan.