Today is Ganesh Chaturthi and the whole of
Mumbai celebrates as their favourite son, Lord Ganpathi, comes home.
Mumbai celebrates as their favourite son, Lord Ganpathi, comes home.
The local Martathis celebrate Ganpathi but
people from other communities such as Sindhis, Gujaratis, etc in Mumbai do so
too.
people from other communities such as Sindhis, Gujaratis, etc in Mumbai do so
too.
The festivities happen both at people’s
houses as well as in localities. The latter was a practice started by Lokmanya
Tilak during the independence struggle to bring people together. Ganpathi festivities, from what I understand, is a ten
day celebration which happens in phases. The residential ones last for a day in
most cases while the area-wise ones can go on for longer stretches. The most
famous of the locality sarvajanin pujas is arguably the Lalbagcha Raja where
the queues to pay respects to the deity stretches for miles.
houses as well as in localities. The latter was a practice started by Lokmanya
Tilak during the independence struggle to bring people together. Ganpathi festivities, from what I understand, is a ten
day celebration which happens in phases. The residential ones last for a day in
most cases while the area-wise ones can go on for longer stretches. The most
famous of the locality sarvajanin pujas is arguably the Lalbagcha Raja where
the queues to pay respects to the deity stretches for miles.
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| Pic: http://imnj.in/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Lalbaugcha-Raja-2013-HD-Wallpaper.jpg |
Food is of course a big part of the
festivities. People who do poojas at home invite their friends and families
over for a meal. The sarvajanin poojas distribute prasad (food offered to the
God) to the devotees. I was told by an ex colleague that the Mangalorean prasad
cooked in the GSB pandal is one of the best.
festivities. People who do poojas at home invite their friends and families
over for a meal. The sarvajanin poojas distribute prasad (food offered to the
God) to the devotees. I was told by an ex colleague that the Mangalorean prasad
cooked in the GSB pandal is one of the best.
I got a taste of this Mangalorean meal a few nights back
when executive chef Ranveer Brar of Novotel Juhu invited us over for a massive thali
meal cooked by Mr Nayak who is one of the head cooks of the GSB pandal.
when executive chef Ranveer Brar of Novotel Juhu invited us over for a massive thali
meal cooked by Mr Nayak who is one of the head cooks of the GSB pandal.
Last year I got myself invited to the house
of the Dikshits of Dadar for a Marathi Ganpathi meal. You can read about it here.
of the Dikshits of Dadar for a Marathi Ganpathi meal. You can read about it here.
Ganpathi is called Gonesh (Ganesh) in Bengal and, more fondly, Gonsha. Chubby kids are often called Gonsha after Ganesh whose deity
traditionally has a white elephant head and a pink or red body with a prominent
pot belly.
traditionally has a white elephant head and a pink or red body with a prominent
pot belly.
We didn’t have a separate Gonesh pujo when
I used to live in Kolkata. Gonesh and his wife, kola bou (made from a banana
plant), were prayed to as part of Ma Durga’s entourage during Durga Pujo. Today
my mom told me that there are now some Ganesh pujo pandals in Kolkata too.
I used to live in Kolkata. Gonesh and his wife, kola bou (made from a banana
plant), were prayed to as part of Ma Durga’s entourage during Durga Pujo. Today
my mom told me that there are now some Ganesh pujo pandals in Kolkata too.
Ganesh is the god of commerce and knowledge
and is said to love to eat too.
and is said to love to eat too.
He would be fond of Amit Roy who runs a
chain of Bengali restaurants/ takeaways called Peetuk, whose outlets lie in Goregaon,
Virar and Mira Road in Mumbai. The tall and lanky Amit is very hard working. He
often comes all the way to Bandra to make us sample his food and take feedback. Yesterday he
deliver a Kolkata biryani for a biryani party at Romi’s house. From what I
heard the biryani was much appreciated and the mutton, that Amit buys personally,
was a big hit. I felt great that my recommendation paid off. Prestiger byapa (a
matter of prestige) as they say.
chain of Bengali restaurants/ takeaways called Peetuk, whose outlets lie in Goregaon,
Virar and Mira Road in Mumbai. The tall and lanky Amit is very hard working. He
often comes all the way to Bandra to make us sample his food and take feedback. Yesterday he
deliver a Kolkata biryani for a biryani party at Romi’s house. From what I
heard the biryani was much appreciated and the mutton, that Amit buys personally,
was a big hit. I felt great that my recommendation paid off. Prestiger byapa (a
matter of prestige) as they say.
 |
| Pic: Romi Purkayastha |
You can read about biryani party in Rhea’s
post here.
I had to miss it though as I was taking part in the ‘meet the food bloggers’
late night beer session at Woodside Inn, Colaba.
post here.
I had to miss it though as I was taking part in the ‘meet the food bloggers’
late night beer session at Woodside Inn, Colaba.
Today Amit dropped in at our place with a Bengali
bhog (offering to the Gods) for Ganpathi.
bhog (offering to the Gods) for Ganpathi.
He got us some delicious khichudi, beguni,
radha bollobi, chholar daal, alur dom and chutney.
radha bollobi, chholar daal, alur dom and chutney.
I guess Lord Ganpathi made sure that this Bengali
in Mumbai was fed well.
in Mumbai was fed well.
And Ganpathi’s Bengali Avatar, Gonsha broke
into a big smile on seeing the food.
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi folks.
into a big smile on seeing the food.
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi folks.
Amit’s
number is: 09870126912 He is very hands on and that shows in whatever he has brought over for us to taste, The kosha mangsho that he makes is a killer
