Aditya Bhagwat
Of all the days of ceremony, spirituality and culture of the annual local Columbus Ganesh Festival, Omkar: 2022, Aditya Bhagwat likes the day when the statue of the elephant-headed deity of Ganesh is put in his place for the celebration.
“I am somewhat of a religious person, so I always really like the first day of the festival when we bring Lord Ganesh home and invoke into him the spirit of life,” said Bhagwat, president of the event honoring the Hindu deity of wisdom, intelligence and prosperity.
The latest festival opens Friday in conjunction with the celebration at Sri Ganesh Mandir, the new Hindu temple at 7930 W. Goeller Road, and runs through Sept. 4 at The Commons. The word Omkar in the festival name simply refers to the sound of the sacred syllable Om in Hinduism and is a reference to Ganesh.
Organizers always emphasize that all are welcome at the festival, regardless of background, beliefs, or culture. The event includes everything from friendly competitions for youngsters to prayer to food to entertainment.
The gathering, organized by the Columbus Ganesh Utsav Mandal, includes some members of the Hindu Society of Southern Indiana and the Indian Association of Columbus. Organizers say there are more than 500 Hindu families totaling about 2,000 people now living in Bartholomew County. The number rises even higher this time of year with Hindu relatives visiting from India.
Bhagwat always celebrated the Ganesh festival with family in India.
“But when I first came here (to the United States) in 2013, that part of life was missing,” he said.
Sharvari Kolhatkar, among the local organizers (though she recently moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa), hopes the merging of the festivities with the temple opening could make for record attendance.
“We are hoping to see more people this year,” she said. “We know that there are a lot of new people (from India) who have come to town.”
Part of last year’s Ganesh Festival included a street festival in late September in conjunction with Ethnic Expo that attracted 1,000 people for music, dance, and food. The high visibility of the gathering attracted people who acknowledged they never before had participated in Ganesh activities.
When the Columbus Ganesh Festival began in 2005, a handful of organizers put together its spiritual and cultural activities in only two weeks — and attracted about 80 people to Parkview Apartments in Columbus.
Former Columbus resident Mandar Deo, the event’s founder, said frequently that he never expected the celebration to grow quite as quickly as it has. On the day of cultural entertainment at The Commons, crowds in recent years before COVID-19 totaled 1,000 people coming and going throughout the day.
Community leaders have said more than once that local residents’ increased awareness of Hindu traditions and general Indian culture translates to understanding and a more welcoming, harmonious community. Companies such as Cummins and local agencies such as the Heritage Fund — The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County have worked to make the area more welcoming to all groups.
Ganesh festivals began in the 1890s, when India was a British colony. While England squelched political expression, it allowed Hindus to celebrate their religious beliefs openly, and they used those gatherings to unite people from various backgrounds and beliefs.
As Hindus migrated to other parts of the globe, they brought their celebration with them.
About the Ganesh Festival
For the complete schedule everything from fun competitions to prayer to entertainment: columbusganesh.com
