It is that time of the year when celebrities in Maharashtra gear up to welcome Lord Ganesha or Ganadhipati (the supreme Lord) — the Hindu God of success, wealth and new beginnings. Despite their hectic schedules, a majority of celebrities make it a point to usher in the Lord, with great devotion and fervour. A section of actors from the Marathi and Hindi industry, recall their connection with Lord Ganesha, the rituals they follow and why he holds a special place in their heart.
It is that time of the year when celebrities in Maharashtra gear up to welcome Lord Ganesha or Ganadhipati (the supreme Lord) — the Hindu God of success, wealth and new beginnings. Despite their hectic schedules, a majority of celebrities make it a point to usher in the Lord, with great devotion and fervour. A section of actors from the Marathi and Hindi industry, recall their connection with Lord Ganesha, the rituals they follow and why he holds a special place in their heart.
Shreyas Talpade, Actor, producer and director
“We had Ganesha in our house for seven years. It was our commitment to him that we would invite him every year for seven years after we brought our new house. For the last couple of years, we haven’t got an idol home but the connection with him is still the same. I have a silent conversation with him at the end of the day, where I share all my concerns, the good things in my life and also thank him for the day. It won’t be right to say that he is a friend; he writes our destiny but all of us in the family love him like a friend and respect him like a father. Apart from that, I have made it a point to start the day on the sets with a Ganpati aarti before the camera rolls. Among the powerful Ganesh spots, I visit during the festival are the Lalbaugcha Raja, the Ganesh Gully idol and the one at Chembur.”
Alka Kubal, Veteran Marathi actress and producer
“I consider Lord Ganesh as the Aradhya devata — the beginning of all auspicious things in life. In my 35-year-old career and 300 films, I have never skipped the ritual of folding my hands in front of Lord Ganesha before I give my first shot every day. Even as a producer, I make it a point to take the first shot of Ganpati Bappa’s photo. We do not have a Ganesha at home but we did have one at my mother’s place in Goregaon. Now, my husband Sameer Atle and my two daughters make it a point to have an elaborate Ganesh puja at home on the first day. I also cook all the sweets and naivedyam offering to the deity with my own hands and we step out of the house only after partaking the prasad. This year too, I don’t intend to skip the ritual though I am busy with the pre-release plans of my upcoming film Dr Tatyasaheb Rahane. Also, I have a great spiritual connect with the Dagdu Shet Halwai Ganesh in Pune. The place has a different energy and I got an opportunity to shoot in that temple for at least 15 times as part of a devotional show I did on temples in India. I like the reverberation of the Atharva Shirsha, the great hymn on Lord Ganesha in thousands of echoing voices at the temple on the first day of the Ganesh celebrations.
Kishori Shahane, Veteran Marathi and Hindi actress and producer
I am a great believer of Lord Ganesha since my early childhood days, when my parents would ring in Ganesh celebrations at home with huge decorations and a proper elaborate puja. Thanks to the tradition of singing all the aartis, I know all of them by heart. Ganesh is an adhipati for all of us. My husband, Deepak Balraj Viz, is also an ardent follower. In fact, Lord Ganesha holds a very special place in my heart as my son Bobby was born during the Ganesh festival. Though we do not install an idol at home, the three of us have maintained the tradition of visiting the Lalbaug Ganesh every year. We are also an active part of the festival celebrated in our locality. I cook prasad and sweets with my own hands and offer it to the Lord during these 10 days. I think it is very important to feel the blessings of the Lord from within. He connects with you all the time if you worship him.”
Amruta Khanvilkar, Marathi and Hindi actress
I am an ardent follower of Lord Ganesha, since my childhood days. I owe my success in life and my career entirely to him. I remember shifting to Pune when I was five years old. Our newly-made building had a Ganesh idol for the first time and it was also the first time that I ever performed in my life in front of Lord Ganesha. I have this feeling that it is his inspiration and blessings that have brought out the actor in me. For the past many years, it is a practice in our house to install an idol for one and a half days. Being a Maharashtrian, I strictly adhere to the pujas and the rituals, besides the bhogs and the aartis, despite my hectic schedule. I have this belief that Lord Ganesha has the power to take away all the negativity in our day-to-day life, which is why he is also known as Vignaharta. One of the temples that is Ganesha’s energy point is the Dashabhuja temple in Kothrud, Pune. I make it a point to visit it during the festival from the time I was a little girl. This Lord has never failed me whenever I have asked for something. Look at my life; it is evidence that he has fulfilled everything for me.
Daisy Shah, Actress
“It is such a great feeling that we will be once again inviting Lord Ganesh to our home after seven long years. We had this regular feature of installing Ganesh idol every year until seven years back and will be doing so once again from this year. My mother is a big follower and adheres to all the religious customs during this period. I also have a strong belief in the Siddhivinayak Ganesha temple and I make it a point to visit it during this period. I don’t really ask for boons. I feel that everything is pre-destined in life but as they say there is one time during the entire day when God listens to you. That is when your wishful thinking comes true. That’s when you often wonder that you could have asked for something else.”
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