Ganesh Chaturthi festivity begins in Shiva’s abode

Varanasi: The celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi festival commenced in the city of Lord Shiva with religious fervour on Friday. Devotees started thronging various temples of the city including Bada Ganesh at Lohatiya and Chintamani Ganesha Temple in Sonarpura since early morning.
Several local organisations have organised puja pandals for Ganesh Chaturthi festival in different localities.Many of these organisations have been celebrating the festival for more than 100 years.
The Kashi Utsav Committee, one of the oldest organisations, will be celebrating its 116th Ganesha Chaturthi festival in Angrayvada locality. Nutan Balak Ganesha-Utsav Samaj Seva will be celebrating their 106th Ganesha Utsav in a grand way at Ganesha Bhavan in Ganesha Dixit lane. The fest will continue for seven days.
Another local group Sharda Bhavan in Augustkunda locality will be celebrating their 86th Ganesha Utsav. According to the organiser Vinod Rao Pathak, almost 450-500 Marathi families settled in Varanasi about 250 years ago. These families started the tradition of celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi festival in the city.
Apart from Marathi families, Andhra community in the city also celebrates the festival. The community has also organised Ganesha Utsav in the premises of Sree Ramataraka Andhra Ashram in Mansarovar area. According to managing trustee V V Sundar Shastri, Ganesha Chaturthi is the first festival of the year according to their calendar. The festival will continue for nine days, he said .
Lok Manya Sarvajanik Shree Ganesha Utsav, a local organisation will also be celebrating five-day long Ganesha Utsav at Ghasi Tola, while Adi Shree Siddhi Vinayak Ganesha Mandir in Gadhvasi Tola locality has also organized celebrations for the festival. For Jagambari Matha in Jagambari it will be their 86th Ganesha Utsav.
During the fest many religious and cultural fests will be organised at the puja pandals. Besides, the organisers will also hold many competitions for kids and women like drawing competition, fancy dress competition, debate and. Several cultural programmes like Kavi sammelan, debate in Sanskrit Shastra, classical musical programmes and Vedas recitation will also be held during the celebration.