Friday, 10 September 2021, India will celebrate another highly-awaited Hindu festival—Ganesh Chaturthi. Also known as Vinayaka Chaturti, the 10-day festival marks the rebirth of Lord Ganesh, the elephant God and Lord of Prosperity. This year, since the situation has changed, the focus has shifted from pandals to personal homes. Every homeowner is now preparing to safely welcome the Lord of good fortune into their homes and lives.
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated every year on the day Ganesha came to life in his elephant-headed form. People celebrate by bringing a Ganesha idol into their homes. They perform poojas and aartis and offer flowers and sweets to invoke the blessings of Ganesha. Then on the day of Ananta Chaturdashi, the clay idol or Ganesh murti is ceremoniously immersed in water (Ganesh Visarjan) so that Ganesha can return to his home after his stay with the devotees. While some families have a tradition of immersion on the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, or 7th day, most families follow immersion on the 10th day, which falls on Ananta Chaturdashi.
How Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated
People clean and decorate their homes to welcome Ganpati Bappa, the widely revered remover of obstacles and the God of new beginnings. Here is how you can take your Ganpati decor to the next level: –
1. Allocate a special table for the deity
The east and northeast directions are auspicious to place the Ganesha idol. If you own a end or coffee table, it is time to pull it out. Place the idol on the tallest table and use the other two tables to place pooja items and the elephant God’s favourite modaks and karanjis. Decorate each of the tables with flowers, drapes, and more. You can also use a beautiful pooja chowki or home temple to place the idol. Remember, the placement has to be such that it allows easy movement for offerings to your Ganpati Bappa.
2.Light up – contemporary
One can go either contemporary or classic with the lighting. Depending on the décor and theme, you can use different lights to create a festive look.
For a more contemporary look, use curtain LED lights, string lights, or Moroccan chandeliers to illuminate the space, making it look brighter and more festive. You can even use colourful fairy lights to drape around Ganpati Bappa’s table. But during the aarti, go soft. You can switch off all these lights and use a spotlight to shine on the statue of Lord Ganesh, giving it a divine aura.
3. Light up – Traditional
On the other hand, if you want to create a classic look, light up diyas and lanterns starting from the entryway all the way leading to the Ganesha idol. The soft glow of the diyas sets the perfect mood for celebrations. Besides, if you have sconce candle holders as wall art, it is time to light up for the ultimate effect.
4. Go Green
Remember, if you are bringing a Ganesh idol/murti home, opt for an eco-friendly one. Eco-friendly Ganesh idols, like seed idols, clay idols, and paper pulp idols, are a great way to celebrate without harming the environment. It is time to say no to POP idols that do not degrade fast and contain chemical paints that
pollute and damage the planet. It is time to go green with an idol that you can immerse in a bucket of freshwater or an idol that turns into a tree after the visarjan.
Now that you have created a perfect setup for Lord Ganesha, it is time to design your living room for the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities.
5. Decorate differently
Today you can do much more than decorating the idol with a few drapes and fresh flowers. Beautiful homes are mixing floral wall art, metal wall Ganesha, bead and artificial flower torans, artificial blooms in vases complimenting the idol, coloured paper, hand-made rangoli and so much more for an inclusive aesthetic look. While you can use these multi-coloured pieces to decorate the living room, remember to get the right mix of textures and colours to create the perfect festive home ambience.
6. Create a welcoming abode
Now that you have created a welcoming abode for the Lord, create an equally welcoming living and dining room to welcome your visitors. This is the time of the year when family, friends, and neighbours visit your home to take the blessings of Ganesha. It is important to ensure your living and dining area is well furnished. A beautiful L-shaped sofa set with the console is ideal to seat guests to serve modaks and more. Similarly, an 8-seater dining set laid out with farals and sweets can be the perfect setting to treat your guests.
7. Prepare for rituals and ceremonies
