Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 14 : The hill capital of Shimla reverberated with chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya” as a grand procession was taken out on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi on Monday, with people from different communities and political backgrounds participating in the celebrations.
Organised by the Shri Siddhi Vinayak Seva Mandal Trust, the procession began from the CTO area with bands and devotional chants and passed through Lower Bazaar and Sher-e-Punjab before reaching the Ganesh pandal at Middle Bazaar.
A large number of devotees participated in the procession carrying idols of Lord Ganesha, marking the beginning of the Ganesh festival in the city.
Speaking to ANI in Shimla, Inderjeet Singh, a local and Shimla District Congress Committee president, said festivals were an expression of India's unity and provided an opportunity for people belonging to different faiths to come together.
“The beauty of India is that whenever a festival comes, people from all religions come together and celebrate it. This is the 14th consecutive year that Siddhi Vinayak Seva Mandal is organising the Ganesh festival here. Today, 108 idols are being taken from here and will be installed at the pandal in Middle Bazaar. They will be immersed in Sunni after 14 days,” Singh told ANI.
He said the celebrations conveyed a message of unity and expressed hope that the coming period would bring prosperity and peace to Shimla, Himachal Pradesh and the country.
Ashutosh, president of Shri Siddhi Vinayak Seva Mandal Trust, Shimla, said Ganesh Chaturthi marks the birth of Lord Ganesha and the festival would continue until Anant Chaturdashi on September 25.
“Ganesh Chaturthi is the birthday of Lord Ganesha. The Ganesh Mahotsav is celebrated from Ganesh Chaturthi to Anant Chaturdashi. Today, we are taking out this Shobha Yatra with Lord Ganesha, and 108 forms of Lord Ganesha will be installed at our pandal,” Ashutosh told ANI.
He said daily worship would be held at 9 am, while bhajans, kirtans and sankirtan would be organised from 12 noon to 8 pm, followed by evening worship and aarti at 8 pm.
Different bhajan groups will perform during the festival, with special devotional groups also being invited from outside Shimla. A bhandara will also be organised for devotees, the organisers said.
Ashutosh appealed to people to participate in the celebrations and seek the blessings of Lord Ganesha, describing the deity as the “Vighnaharta” (remover of obstacles) and the giver of “Riddhi-Siddhi”.
"Our prayer to Lord Ganesha is that He removes everyone's obstacles and fulfils everyone's wishes. Through ANI, we invite everyone to join us in the immersion procession on September 25,” he said.
The festival will culminate on September 25, when a havan will be performed at 8 am, followed by a procession carrying the Ganesha idol for immersion at Sunni.
The trust said buses would be arranged for devotees wishing to participate in the immersion procession. Those travelling in their own vehicles have been requested to register their names and vehicle numbers so that arrangements for food and bhandara can be made.
Ashutosh said the festival was primarily rooted in the faith of Sanatan Dharma, but everyone was welcome to participate in the celebrations.
The celebrations in Shimla were marked by devotional fervour, with the participation of people cutting across community and political lines, highlighting the spirit of social harmony and collective celebration.