Rema’s Ramblings – Thoughts and Musings from Mumbai to Miami
Ganesh Chaturthi: Memories of Modaks, Music, and Mumbai
Growing up in Mumbai, one of the most enjoyable Indian festivals was Ganesh Chaturthi. One might wonder why such a deeply religious festival was fun for a child. Of course, I learnt about the traditions of Ganesh Chaturthi and participated in the crowded community worship as well as in the poojas at home. I must say, however, that my fondest memories are of the giant Lord Ganesh “moorthis” (idols) that lined the street in front of my apartment building as they proceeded towards the beach a few days after the first day of the festival. And when I say giant, I mean it – some of these idols were 15 to 30 feet tall, if not more.
In 2026, Ganesh Chaturthi was on Monday, September 14, so the festivities continued until the 25th of September. This is an extremely important holiday in the state of Maharashtra, and Mumbai being the capital, is quite a center of activity. Many of the apartment complexes around where I lived used to bring Lord Ganesh every year. That’s an important tradition: once you bring Lord Ganesh home, you must continue to welcome him every year. In our community setup, the idols were large and surrounded by loudspeakers so that everyone living in the building could hear the poojas and celebrations. In addition to the religious aspect of the worship, I, as any child would, enjoyed the loud music, dancing and celebrations that took place at the place where the idol was installed. As a child, I particularly enjoyed the loud music, the dancing, and the energy around the installation of the idol. I’m not sure if Lord Ganesh would have approved of all the Bollywood music surrounding him — but the songs back then were about him anyway, so perhaps he didn’t mind too much!
Lord Ganesh is believed to bless devotees with good fortune, success and wisdom. He is known lovingly as the “remover of obstacles”. Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of this elephant-headed God. I also loved this festival because it was my annual opportunity to indulge in modaks, the sweet, specially-shaped desserts offered to Lord Ganesh. My mother used to prepare both sweet and salty modaks. The sweet modaks were like little bites of heaven – soft, steamed rice sheets covering a perfectly delicious stuffing made of jaggery, coconut and ghee. True decadence indeed.
Anyone who brings a Lord Ganesh idol home must also immerse it in a water body on one of the prescribed days after Ganesh Chaturthi. This visarjan was a grand event in Mumbai. As my apartment building was on the road that led to the Arabian Sea, my friends and I would gather outside and watch the giant idols pass by on trucks, moving slowly in a colorful parade toward the ocean. It really was quite a spectacle as each truck was typically surrounded by people dancing on the street. When the trucks reached the beach, hundreds of people would join to carry their beloved Lord Ganesh into the waves to immerse him.
Why immerse the idol at all? This is all about the cycle of creation and dissolution. The idols are hand-crafted from clay and then returned to the water, symbolizing detachment from the material form – God is always around us even if the idol isn’t. In Maharashtra, when the idols are immersed, the air is filled with loud chants of “Ganpati Bappa Mourya, Pudhchya varshi laukar ya” – “Hail Lord Ganesha, Come back next year”! This signifies renewal, new hope and of course, the continued tradition year after year.
Even here in South Florida, I have friends who follow this cycle of invitation, worship and immersion. Every year, I personally look forward to celebrating this pure, joyful festival with them and my family – keeping alive a little piece of Mumbai in my heart.
About the Author:
Rema is an IT professional whose experience includes cybersecurity consulting and implementing financial technology solutions in highly regulated environments. She lives in South Florida with her husband. A proud mother of twin boys, she is also an active member of the local Indian community. Rema enjoys traveling to different countries and meeting and working with people of different backgrounds and cultures. Rema is actively involved in the South Florida community and serves as a Board Member of the Indian Regional and Cultural Center, and has also served on the Board of Trustees of the North Broward Preparatory School.
