Why We Celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi As Public Event

VINAYAKA CHATURTHI

Observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (4th day of waxing moon period), between 19 Aug and 20 Sept. Festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi (14th day of the waxing moon period).

Why We Celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi As Public Event

Ganesh Chaturthi was being celebrated as a public event in Pune since the times of Shivaji (1630-1680), the founder of the Maratha Empire. The Peshwas, the de facto hereditary administrators of the Empire from 1749 till its end in 1818, encouraged the celebrations in their administrative seat Pune as Ganesha was their family deity (Kuladevata). 

With the fall of the Peshwas, Ganesh Chaturthi lost state patronage and became a private family celebration again till its revival by Indian freedom fighter and social reformer Lokmanya Tilak.

In 1893, Lokmanya Tilak transformed the annual domestic festival into a large, well-organized public event.  Popularized Ganesh Chaturthi as a national festival in order "to bridge the gap between Brahmins and 'non-Brahmins' and "build a new grassroots unity between them", and generate nationalistic fervour among people in Maharashtra against British colonial rule.

Tilak was the first to install large public images of Ganesh in pavilions, and also established the practice of submerging in rivers, sea, or other pools of water all public images of the deity on the tenth day after Ganesh Chaturthi.

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