Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, September 29, 2023
The Marathi community and the greater Indian community are all set to celebrate Ganesh Utsav with a fun-filled day of festivities and cultural fervour on September 30, 2023, from 10 a.m. onwards at the Freemans Bay Community Centre in Auckland.
Neha Nalawade, President of the Auckland Marathi Association Inc. said, “The arrival of Lord Ganesh is a momentous and joyous occasion in the lives of our Marathi community, celebrated with a great enthusiasm with our Auckland Marathi Association. Amidst the celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi, coming together to adorn the divine abode of our beloved deity is a testament to the unity and participation of all our members. The prayers, songs, and the joy of gathering together during this festival continue to enhance the spirit of this celebration.”
About the event
The Auckland Marathi Association Inc. has been organising Ganpati for the last 26 years. The organisers are expecting close to 500 devotees to attend Ganpati Utsav 2023. With families travelling from Hamilton as well as other regions, the day will bring members of the Marathi community together for a day of celebration.
The celebration will begin with the grand arrival of Lord Ganesh’s idol, with devotees offering prayers and seeking the blessings of the deity. The idol has been beautifully adorned and placed in a specially decorated shrine.
One of the major highlights of this year’s celebration is the electrifying live dhol tasha performance. The rhythmic beats of the traditional drums filling the air with energy and excitement are synonymous with the festive spirit and intrinsic to the Ganesh Utsav in Maharashtra.
Devotees will then gather for the aarti and prayers to lord Ganesh, followed by some truly captivating cultural performances, including traditional Marathi folk dances, music, and poems that showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Marathi community.
A wide array of delectable prasad and traditional Marathi cuisine will also be served to all attendees. It is bound to be a feast for the senses, with the aroma of authentic Marathi dishes adding to the festive ambience.
Members of the Marathi Association who have actively participated in the preparations and organising of the event highlighted that “it is the sense of community and togetherness that is central to the Ganpati celebration, and we are so happy to create that atmosphere for our younger generation to witness in New Zealand.”
About the festival
Ganesh Chaturthi, also called Vinayaka Chaturthi, in Hinduism, is a day festival marking the birth of the elephant-headed deity Ganesh, the God of prosperity and wisdom. It begins on the fourth day (Chaturthi) of the month of Bhadrapada (August–September), the sixth month of the Hindu calendar.
At the start of the festival, idols of Ganesh are placed on raised platforms in homes or elaborately decorated outdoor tents. The worship begins with the Pranapratishhtha, a ritual to invoke life in the idols, followed by shhodashopachara, or the 16 ways of paying tribute. Amid the chanting of Vedic hymns from religious texts like the Ganesh Upanishad, the idols are anointed with red sandalwood paste and yellow and red flowers. Ganesh is also offered coconut, jaggery, and 21 modaks (sweet dumplings), considered to be Ganesh’s favourite food.
About the Association
The Auckland Marathi Association Inc. emerged in 1995 when a few families from Maharashtra in New Zealand felt the need to bond around their shared culture and identity in a new land they were still learning to call home.
Ms Nalawade said, “All our events are tethered to Maharashtra’s rich literary and folk heritage. Members have made it a proud association. We envision a Marathi community that works together to create and maintain an artistic, peaceful, safe and desirable place to live in New Zealand.”
“The Ganpati celebration will serve as a symbol of unity and togetherness within the Marathi community, fostering a sense of belonging and shared cultural pride.”
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Hamilton.
