Celebrations galore!

Vivek Oberoi
Every year, we eagerly look forward to celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi and welcoming our favourite Bappa home. This year too, we are going for an eco-friendly Ganesh murti. I'm really excited to seek blessings from Bappa. Both my kids, Vivaan Veer and Ameyaa Nirvana, love indulging in authentic homemade modaks. And, during those ten days, the atmosphere at home is very lively. Friends and family visit home to seek blessings and offer prayers, do pooja and be part of the joyous celebrations in honour of the divine Ganesh.

This year, I only pray that Lord Ganesh wards off all evil and blesses us all. I always pray for the improvement of society, and wish every individual to help the other.

Padmini Kolhapure
At home, the festival of Ganpati keeps getting bigger and bigger. We believe in bringing home an eco-friendly Ganpati murti. And even though we try making it better every year, the size remains the same. It is our 56th year of bringing Bappa home.

Coming to the celebrations front, the entire family gets together to seek blessings from him. We cook food and prasad both at home itself. In fact, our pooja menu has been same for the last 55 years. With the steamed modaks being our speciality. It is a one and a half day long celebration, but even if Bappa is home for only a short span of time, we make the best of it.

Not just the murti, but we also try making the whole celebration eco-friendly — from spoons, bowls and even the plates.

Since most of our family members are singers, we also do a little singing session where everyone gets along and sings in praise of Him!

Sanjay Dutt
For as long as I can remember, I have adored Ganpati Bappa — I pray to him every day of the year. We welcome Bappa home every year and have always opted for an eco-friendly Ganpati.

For my upcoming film, I have also recorded a Ganesh aarti and I sincerely hope people like it. — Sanskriti Media

Shilpa Shetty
For the last seven years, Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra have been welcoming Bappa home, but this year it seems impossible. “What could have been our eighth year is, very unfortunately, not. Since we haven’t completed my father’s barsi, we sadly won’t be bringing home the murti,” she says.  

The actresses shares how she started bringing Ganpati home. “We started bringing Ganpati home since I got married — a promise that I made to myself when I was single. My faith in Ganpati is unshakable; especially the Lalbaugcha Raja. We get home a miniature version of the murti.”

Even though this year is impossible, the actress and her businessman husband are already prepping up for the next year. “I will still stick to the eco-friendly Ganpati. Living near the beach, I see the mess that plaster of Paris murtis make and honestly, I am strongly against them — they are really harmful to the environment. And from next year, we will be bringing home a smaller mud murti. Hope this will encourage my fans as well to opt for eco-friendly murtis,” she signs off.