Showing posts with label Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Show all posts

Thursday 30 April 2015

Ganpati Visarjan

All good things must come to an end; so do all festivities. That will create space for a new beginning. At the same time it also gives all those who are involved in the festivities a relief, a break from the fast paced celebration. These 10 days of prayers to lord Ganesha of bringing Modaks and other sweets, of sharing and distributing Prasad to all who come to the Pandal for the Darshan pass very swiftly.

Today is the day of Visarjan. The devotees will immerse the idols of their favorite lord Ganpati in the sea. It’s the way of bidding adieu while requesting him to come again. Visarjan is also celebrated as a thankful sendoff to our favorite lord. It is said that whenever a new project is started with prayer to lord Ganpati, it brings good luck.

I have selected a number of images from the net which I consider truly reflect the festivities associated with Ganpati Visarjan. The sheer spirit and the enthusiasm with which the favorite lord is given a sendoff keeps people motivated enough to look forward to the next year’s celebration. Preparations for Ganesh Chaturthi are made a number of months before the festival begins. Now a days in Mumbai many housing societies have started making their own Mandaps. By this way social interaction among the society members is increased. Prayer to lord Ganesha becomes the common desire of all people residing in the society.

At the end of the photo gallery I have given some information about the beginning of the festival which will interest you.










Ganesh Chaturthi is said to have been celebrated since the days of Maratha rulers: Satavahana, Chalukya and Rashtrakuta. Mainly celebrated in the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh with a lot of zeal and splendour, Ganesh Chaturthi is the most popular festival of Maharashtra. Ganesh Chaturthi was started by Chhatrapati Shivaji as a public event to promote traditions and nationalism, this festival was even celebrated by Peshwas to worship Ganapati as their family deity. The festivities remained a family affair until the festival was revitalised by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in the late 19th Century, to take the message of freedom struggle to all Indians. This festival brought in a feeling of unity and togetherness in Indians that helped in revival of their patriotic spirit. Through the medium of this festival he brought together all the classes of societies against British by getting rid of the caste differences. He stressed on it that Ganesh Chaturthi was a festival for everyone irrespective of the caste or class, and so he organised cultural events like dance dramas, musical nights, and religious gatherings on this festival. That was the time when social and political gatherings weren’t allowed by the British. Festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi that continued for ten days gave people of every religion the scope to interact and know each other. It is from that time this festival has been celebrated every year with great fervor all over the country.

Thanks for reading.

Tuesday 28 January 2014

Lets remember Lala Lajpat Rai - The Lion of Punjab

lala lajpat rai

Lala Lajpat Rai About this sound pronunciation (help·info), (28 January 1865 – 17 November 1928) was an Indian author and politician who is chiefly remembered as a leader in the Indian fight for independence from the British Raj. He was popularly known as Punjab Kesari meaning The Lion of Punjab also known as "Sher-E- Punjab" in Hindi. He was part of the Lal Bal Pal trio.[1] His other close associates were Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak from Maharashtra, and Bipin Chandra Pal from Bengal. He was also associated with activities of Punjab National Bank and Lakshmi Insurance Company in their early stages.

He sustained serious injuries by the police when leading a non-violent protest against the Simon Commission and died less than three weeks later. His death anniversary (November 17) is one of several days celebrated as Martyrs' Day in India.

Lets us remember one of India's greatest sons on his birthday!

Please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lala_Lajpat_Rai for more!

Thanks for reading!

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Bal Gangadhar Tilak




Yesterday, the 23rd of July was the birthday of Lokmanya Tilak. Born in 1856, he was a truly great leader of our freedom movement, who was conferred the title of ‘Lokmanya ‘- one who has been recognized as the People’s leader. He was the one who heralded the concept of Sampoorna Swaraj.

It is sad to note that our media, including the electronic media, which has all the time and words to sensationalize the most commonplace happenings did not lend any coverage to this great soul of our country.

               I append below excerpts from his life,so gracefully published in Wikipedia for our countrymen, who like to remember this great Lokmanya leader.

               In 1894 , Bal Gangadhar Tilak transformed the household worshipping of Lord Ganesha into a public event. The  large community celebration .

He was an educationist. The Deccan Education Society that Tilak founded with others in the 1880s till today, runs much respected Institutions in Pune like the Fergusson College.

It was he who started ,The Swadeshi movement. This being a part of the Indian independence movement and the developing Indian nationalism, which was an economic strategy aimed at removing the British Empire from power and improving economic conditions in India by following the principles of swadeshi (self-sufficiency; Hindi: स्वदेशी svadēśī), which had some success. Strategies of the Swadeshi movement involved boycotting British products and the revival of domestic products and production processes.

He, along with other leaders, coined the concept of Sampoorna Swaraj.

He was indeed a great leader.

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