New Delhi, September 2026: Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated across the country on Monday with immense religious fervour and enthusiasm, as devotees thronged famous temples and elaborately decorated pandals from Maharashtra to Tamil Nadu.
While Mumbai witnessed the traditional grandeur associated with the 10-day festival, cities across northern and southern India also saw large gatherings of devotees seeking the blessings of Lord Ganesha. In West Bengal, however, Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations acquired a distinct social and political dimension, with several pandals reflecting recent public movements and contemporary issues.
In Mumbai, the traditional heartland of the 10-day Ganesh festival, thousands of devotees gathered at the iconic Lalbaugcha Raja pandal. Amid chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya”, devotees stood in long queues to catch a glimpse of the revered idol and seek blessings.
The festival also drew large crowds in Nagpur, where Mangal Aarti was performed at the Shri Ganesh Mandir Tekdi on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.
In Jaipur, the famous Moti Dungri Ganesh Temple witnessed a steady stream of devotees from the early hours of Monday. Darshan began at 5 am with the Mangala Aarti and will continue until the Shayan Aarti at 11:40 pm, giving devotees more than 19 hours to offer prayers and seek blessings.
In the southern state of Tamil Nadu, thousands of devotees gathered at the historic Karpaga Vinayagar Temple in Pillayarpatti, Sivaganga district. Devotees began queuing outside the temple early in the morning to offer prayers and participate in special rituals associated with the festival.
Bengaluru was also immersed in the festive spirit, with large numbers of devotees visiting the Sri Dodda Ganapathi Temple in Basavanagudi for the Gauri-Ganesha and Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.
Bengal Pandal Reflects Contemporary Issues
In West Bengal, the festival presented a different picture, combining cultural celebrations with contemporary social and political messaging.
At Baguati in Kolkata, the Executive Palace Apartment Owners Association created its Ganesh Puja pandal around the theme “Parivartan – Towards a Developed Bengal with Double Engine Government.”
A prominent feature of the pandal was a model depicting the exterior of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Models representing protesting doctors were also installed, with placards carrying the message “We Want Justice.”
The representations were displayed alongside models depicting modern infrastructure and industrial development, presenting a visual narrative of the changes that the organisers associated with the prospect of a BJP government coming to power in the state.
The pandal therefore combined religious celebration with references to the RG Kar controversy, public protests and the broader political debate over Bengal’s development.
BJP Leaders Join Celebrations
Senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh also participated in the festival celebrations in West Bengal and inaugurated a Ganesh Puja programme in Panihati in North 24 Parganas.
Ghosh said the growing scale of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in the state reflected a cultural awakening.
“Change is visible everywhere in Bengal... this time, the festive season here is beginning with Ganesh Utsav, and the festival is being celebrated with great enthusiasm in every village. Bengal is on its way to becoming a ‘New Bengal’. Prosperity is coming here,” he said.
Speaking about the creative themes being showcased in Kolkata’s pandals, Ghosh said local artists were effectively reflecting public sentiment and the changes they perceived in the state.
“Ganesh Chaturthi is being celebrated with great grandeur in Bengal. Some artists here have created themes that depict Bengal’s past of bloodshed, violence and declining industries, while also portraying hopes of industrialisation, bullet trains and a better social system,” he said.
The celebrations across the country highlighted the diverse ways in which Ganesh Chaturthi has evolved into a major cultural and community festival. From the grand pandals of Mumbai and the historic temples of Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu to the contemporary artistic themes emerging in Bengal, devotees and communities marked the occasion with prayer, tradition, creativity and public participation.
As celebrations continued, the chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya” echoed across cities, underscoring the festival’s enduring religious and cultural significance.
