Mauritian Marathi Society celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi in London
Spirituality and Community
By Suresh Gunputrao
The Ganesh Chaturthi festival, commonly referred to as Ganpati, is an important event in the calendar of the Mauritian Marathi Society (UK). This year, the MMS celebrated the event on the 7th and 8th of September in Palmers Green, North London. As it was a weekend, devotees from various parts of England converged on Palmers Green, including many Christians who joined the Mauritian Marathi community in celebrating alongside the Hindu community. The ceremony was inclusive and welcoming to all, as they came to make their offerings and pay their respects to Lord Ganesh.
In the days leading up to the festival, a clay statue (murti) of Ganesh is crafted and decorated with eco-friendly materials to comply with river authority requirements. After the festival, the statue is ceremoniously immersed in the river.
At a designated time, Acharya Shree Trydev performed the consecration and inauguration of the Ganpati murti, inviting devotees to make their offerings and prayers. The priest conducted the ceremony with serenity, piety, authority, and discipline, capturing and maintaining the attention of the devotees throughout.
This year, members of the Gujarati community also made a valuable contribution to the festival, adding a new dimension to the proceedings. The immersion (Visarjan) of the statue concluded the festival, marking an emotional moment for many devotees, who implored Ganpati to “poorna varsi nokarya” (come back again next year).
The weather played its part in making our Ganesh festival a great success, made even sweeter by the timely arrival of a baby girl to a member of our Mauritian Marathi community.
The two-day event encapsulated the community spirit that underpins Ganpati, fostering a shared sense of purpose and pride among all groups of worshippers who attended. The occasion maintained the deep religious sentiment that makes Ganpati a significant time of the year for all Hindus and demonstrated the strength, unity, and inclusivity of the Hindu community — together, we are stronger.
Suresh Gunputrao is the Secretary of the Mauritian Marathi Society (UK).
Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 25 October 2024
An Appeal
Dear Reader
65 years ago Mauritius Times was founded with a resolve to fight for justice and fairness and the advancement of the public good. It has never deviated from this principle no matter how daunting the challenges and how costly the price it has had to pay at different times of our history.
With print journalism struggling to keep afloat due to falling advertising revenues and the wide availability of free sources of information, it is crucially important for the Mauritius Times to survive and prosper. We can only continue doing it with the support of our readers.
The best way you can support our efforts is to take a subscription or by making a recurring donation through a Standing Order to our non-profit Foundation.
Thank you.
