Ganeshotsav is finally here!!!

So it’s That time of the year again!!! The much awaited  Ganeshotsav  is here finally!! For me, it is a multi faceted enthusiasm, joy and celebration because of a number of reasons. First, we couldn’t celebrate Ganeshotsav last year because of a death in the family. It was probably the last year when I would be able to enjoy the ten days at home because this year, I had the joining date scheduled in June and it seemed I would have to miss Ganapati Bappa this year. But The Lord rescheduled just about everything for me and I am here in Nagpur, at home, having nothing to do but to enjoy the elevendays of Ganeshotsav (this year, Ganeshotsav is of 11 days!!! Yippeeeeee!!!)  Shree Ganesh being our  'Kuladaivat', Ganeshotsav is the primary celebration time. On the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi, I and my mother took centrestage for the decoration. Tejas the electrician and Tejas the co-decorator-in-chief coordinated with mummy the decorator-in-chief to form the three-tiered Puja Sthal in the drawing room that becomes the exclusive domain of Lord Ganesha every year. After that, Dad takes over as supreme-commander and I assume the role of Tejas the percussionist with the 'Taal' (these titles have been accorded over a long period of time and their history is a very complicated one so I’ll skip it for the time being!) Nothing is passed without his approval and fortunately this year, he passed everything without a single change much to our delight!! Ganeshotsav at my home is an experience not to be forgotten for the whole year and everything done during the whole span is done taking into account the morning and evening puja timings which are not subject to change under any circumstances. So there’s no partying, evening movie shows or the regular timepass with friends after 7 PM. The morning puja is done by dad and the evening  puja by me. For the ten or eleven day span of the festival, there is something happening almost every day. My uncle being a Sangeet Visharad, a bhajan program is a certainty at least once in the ten days and for the rest of the days, all the family friends give a yearly visit to our place. It is one of the things that I’m gonna miss badly when I leave Nagpur for the job and I intend to make it a point to ensure at least a 4-5 day visit to Nagpur during Ganeshotsav wherever I might be.