Festivals are an integral part of human cultural life. From ancient times they have been celebrated not only in India but also in different parts of the world. 'Olympian' celebrated by Greeks, 'Pithian' to promote poetry writing and 'Nimiyan' to exhibit skills in martial arts are, to name a few, some of the festivals celebrated outside India in ancient times. The Ganesh festival, which has its origins in Maharashtra in India, has been celebrated for over a century.
After the end of Peshwa rule, from 1818 to 1892, Ganesh Festival remained a family affair in Maharashtra. Emulating the example of Peshwas, princely states of Baroda and Gwalior too involved common people in the Ganesh festival. Lokmanya Tilak was witness in 1892 where he saw the grand scale on which the festival was celebrated in Gwalior and the enthusiastic participation of people therein. This alone inspired him to make the Ganesh festival a public event in Maharashtra. However it needs to be mentioned here that social and political conditions of those times seemed ripe for making such a move.
Tilak wished to bring about social change for political reasons too. He was convinced that social change was the key to political awareness. The country was under a foreign rule. It was necessary to arouse the masses to oppose the tyrannical British Rule. It was necessary to stir the masses and mobilize public opinion for national ends. He wanted his ideas to reach the common people, make them aware of British Govt.'s oppressive policies, inculcate a strong sense of nationalism and the need to attain Swaraj that is freedom from the foreign rule.
To achieve the desired result it was necessary to awaken the masses and what else would be fit than the already popular Ganesh festival? It is in these circumstances that in 1893 he appealed to the people to make it a festival of masses.
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great enthusiasm in Maharashtra. People invoke the blessings of Lord Ganesh for prosperity and wisdom and pray for his help in removing all obstacles. Tilak's appeal had a miraculous effect and people responded positively. 1893 saw the beginning of Ganesh festival as a public and popular event with Shri Bhau Rangari, Shri Khajgiwale, and Shri Ghotwadekar in Pune and residents of Keshavji Naik Chawl in Mumbai acting as pioneers.
In 1894, the festival spread to other places throughout Maharashtra. Year after year, the number kept increasing. His writings in Kesari and Maharatta and his public speeches had great influence in making the festival a truly public and participative event.
Festivals unite people. Ganesh festival provided him a necessary platform to arouse them to oppose the reign of terror. His ideas propagated through speeches and writing commanded wide attention forcing the British Govt. to sit up and take notice.
It is always easy to criticize. However, in the eagerness to criticise one must not lose the sight of the constructive work done by various organisers of the Ganesh Festival. One would be doing injustice to them. One cannot overlook the fact that many celebrities from the cultural fields such as Theatre, Film and Music had their initiations in the programmes presented in the Ganpati Festivals. Increasing number of Ganpati Festivals also brought with it economic activity for Artists, Pandal Contractors, Decorators etc.
It can not be denied that a situation has to be created whereby the Ganpati festival which played a pivotal role in winning the freedom for the country can also help in making it a welfare state. However, this is possible only if the educated and enlightened class once again start actively participating in the conduct of Ganpati Festival and restructures its activities. This is the need of the hour.
Maybe we need another Tilak-a true visionary-to refocus on what such festivals can and ought to do.
