Festivals - Mumbai Corner

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Today is the last day of KalaGhoda festival happening in Mumbai. Kalaghoda is the name of the area where it is happening. In hindi Kalaghoda = Kala (Black) Ghoda (Horse). This area was named this because there used to be a statue of a famous freedom fighter sitting on a black horse in the square.
Now the statue has been removed due to protests from some political sections who felt that statue did not do justice to the person who was depicted in the statue. Without that statue the area is still called Kalaghoda....the place feels kinda empty!

I am digressing, back to the festival bit. There are two festivals one week long one that happens in February which is the Arts festival. It is very cool! There are live music performances, rare movie screenings, stalls, games, food, poetry reading, story telling, kid workshops and what not!

You can check out more details here: Really Long Link

Currently a smaller festival of India is going on. It has fewer activities but it still converts the entire Kalaghoda area into a fan fare, fun filled and joyous place. Check out some photos:

Some kids from a local charity performing a play:

This is a good time to be in Mumbai! If you are here do visit this festival.

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Posted By: Priyanka - Category: Festivals

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Ganesh Festival

September 7th 2009 13:02

A few days back, there was a Ganesh Festival in Mumbai. Many parts like Dadar are completely decorated. Moreover there are scores of people who come to these places to worship, and take Ganesha's blessings. The custom is that people at their office, home bring idols of Ganesha god, and do Pooja, rituals etc of it everyday. All relatives and other devotees are welcome to visit these temples. After 5 days or 7 days these idols are taken and put in the sea.

This is the tradition that after a set number of days max 7 days the idol is put in the sea, so the sea can take it away. One condition to doing this is that once you bring this idol it must be brought every year, in that place other wise it is inauspicious. So every year around this time huge Ganesha festival is going on where people bring the idol, worship it and then offer it to the sea.

Worship is done by offering one particular sweet called Modak, putting flowers, singing some bhajans, chanting. Every evening lamp is lit and a particular chant is sung. On the day that the idol has to be offered to the sea, everyone in the family dance and sing all the way to the sea. Coloured powder is thrown on each other and with lot of fan fare the God is bid adieu. One of common songs of this time says "Come quickly next year..."

Lot of commercialization has creeped into it lately, companies sponsor these events and due huge advertizing campaigns. Still the joy and belief of people is evident.

Festivals - Mumbai Corner

Kalaghoda Festival

Ganesh Festival

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