Monday, August 28, 2006

Ganapati Bappa Mourya!!

Back from LA trip, revitalized and energized. It helped me to forget that home-sick feeling… at least for now.

Back home the streets would be full of glowing with colors originating from lights, decoration, gulal and people, the chants of sholaks and aarti would be drifting over the air perfumed with fragnance of essence-stick & flowers and of course there would feast of sweets especially modakas in every household. The atmosphere is enough to send all Ganesha-devotees in a sought of trance.

Tilak’s idea by introducing Sarvajaneek Ganesh mandal was to influence the freedom movement by giving common platform to people, but the concept has also contributed to defining a cultural symbol of Maharashtra.

My two days trip to LA, could be closest I could get to ambiance that could be found in Maharashtra during this celebration.

Though there are few more days before we give a grand send-off to my favorite god, but I am already saying “Phud-chaya Varshi lavkarya” as next year I hope to be in Mumbai, dancing in trance to the beats of Nashik Dhol, welcoming the Lord once again amongst us.

Apart from the celebration at Marathi-Mandal’s programme in LA & my friends home. I also got to relax at the sea-facing condo of a premium high-rise building on Long Beach, which belongs to someone who is star sportsman representing the US national team. Sunday morning I woke to a clear sea view with Queen Mary-I cruise ship docked permanently at its pier.

I wish I had some more time to spend time at Long Beach, but probably keeping the sanity of occasion I was there, we skipped raving at clubs on Pine street, that’s on my to-do list for next trip.

I cannot close this post without thanking my friend and his family for the hospitality they extended to me.

PS: There was almost a repeat of North-West flight incident on my return journey, the person sitting along the aisle, refused to switch off his gaming device inspite the flight attendant’s repeated instructions. However, we were lucky we were in USA and the person was white.

6 comments:

Movie Mazaa said...

Dont ya worry, Deepz!
Just 68 more days 2 go!!
:)

Belated Happy Ganesh Chathurthi!
:)

@rChU said...

Hell...u too gettin outta US of A...this is news to me...neways had been to a frnds house yest. for aarti ...it was yeah like u said it..revitalizing indeed..esp. singing the aartis (in the most besura awaz) did wonders to my being...n to Ganesha too am sure....:) ...well c u soon in paradise(ie. amchi mumbai) sooon!!! More so i wanna c ur kids mannn...

Priya said...

Belated chaturthi to u and ur family.

Deepak D Jadhav said...

@Velu... Yeah 68 and counting.

@Arch... Aartis are fun. No one is besure singing aarti.

@Priya... Jai Ganesh

How do we know said...

I am in Mumbai now.. need any pictures or anything? i cld go out on Sunday and get you a few? Or send you whats come in the papers today.. the Lalbagh Ganapati...would you like that?

Deepak D Jadhav said...

@Vibhor... Jai Ganesh
@How.do.you.know... you are very kind, Ganesha's picture, well I get them through online editions of most of the newspaper. If you can click some pictures from street of Lalbaug or Dadar .. that would help. People queuing for darshan and vendors selling flowers and sweetmeat and lights dotting the street corners. And you don't have to go out of way for that, it is just my crazy wish.