A unique blend of tradition, eco-friendly initiatives and celebrations overseas
Mumbai, September 2026 : As part of the Cultural Affairs Department’s ‘Gharo Ghari Bappa’ initiative, five unique Ganeshotsav stories have been selected today for featuring on Bappa.org, Maharashtra’s digital cultural archive portal. The selected stories include the traditional Gauri-Ganpati celebrations of Konkan, a clay Ganesh idol made at home, the first Ganeshotsav in a new home, Indian students celebrating the festival in Vietnam, and an initiative to nurture trees using soil from Ganesh idol immersion.
The initiative aims to digitally preserve memories of Ganeshotsav celebrations in homes across Maharashtra, local public Ganeshotsav mandals, historic temples and Indian communities living abroad. Every citizen, mandal or temple trust that submits photographs and information related to Ganeshotsav on the portal is issued an official ‘Digital Cultural Conservationist Certificate’ by the Maharashtra government. Noteworthy entries are selected every day and publicised through government platforms.
Traditional Gauri-Ganpati Tradition of Guhagar
In the Guhagar region of Konkan, women traditionally carry idols of Goddess Gauri, coconuts used for worship and stems of the wild terada plant in traditional brass plates placed on their heads. They collectively walk through lush green paddy fields and village waterways. The centuries-old tradition reflects the region’s connection with agriculture, nature, women’s strength and ancestral heritage and has been selected as one of the featured stories.
Nikita J. Panchal’s Homemade Clay Idol
Nikita J. Panchal chose to avoid commercially available Plaster of Paris idols and artificial colours. Instead, she made a Ganesh idol at home using raw clay and painted it herself. Her initiative promotes the preservation of traditional clay craftsmanship while conveying the message of an eco-friendly Ganeshotsav.
First Ganeshotsav in Sanjay Mangalaram’s New Pune Home
Sanjay Mangalaram’s family, which traditionally travelled to their native village every year to celebrate Ganeshotsav, welcomed Lord Ganesha for the first time this year at their new home in Pune. The family’s two young daughters took the lead in conducting the daily puja and aarti. Their celebration has been selected as a unique example of passing the family’s cultural traditions on to the next generation.
Students Preserve Ganeshotsav Tradition in Vietnam
Indian students studying in Vietnam, far from Maharashtra, came together to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi. Despite the limited availability of materials required for the festival abroad, the students prepared fresh modaks themselves and invited their friends to participate in the celebrations.
The story, documented by Ishwar Manohar Borse, highlights how Indian students continue to preserve their cultural traditions and connection with their homeland even while living abroad.
Over 30 Trees Nurtured Using Soil from Idol Immersion
Parag Narayan Sheth Gujarathi’s family has been celebrating Ganeshotsav together for the past 65 years. For the last six years, the family has installed a clay Ganesh idol and conducted the immersion at home on their terrace.
After the immersion, saplings are planted in the soil left behind and nurtured until they grow to more than five feet. The saplings are then planted along local riverbanks and in hilly areas. Through this initiative, more than 30 trees have been successfully grown so far.
Citizens Invited to Participate
The Cultural Affairs Department has appealed to citizens, housing societies, public Ganeshotsav mandals and temple trusts across the state to participate in Maharashtra’s official digital cultural archive.
To participate, citizens can upload photographs of their Ganesh idol or decorations on Bappa.org and provide brief information about their tradition, display or social initiative. After successful submission, an official Digital Cultural Conservationist Certificate will be issued by the government.
Entries showcasing unique traditions, eco-friendly creations and socially beneficial initiatives will be shortlisted daily as five featured stories and publicised through various government platforms.
