The 2025 21st Annual Columbus Ganesh Festival will expand to a full week and include more activities than before, according to organizers.
They pointed out that odd-year anniversaries such as 21 are m0re significant than other marks such as 20 and 25 years in Hindu and Indian culture.
“We have already started some of the preparations,” said Sharvari Kolhatkar, president of the Columbus Ganesh Utsav Mandal that organizes the annual event that just attracted an estimated 1,300 people just for its closing weekend at The Commons recently.
“There were more participants this year for the cultural program,” she said.
About 500 Hindu families, or roughly 2,000 followers total, live in Bartholmew County, according to leaders at Sri Ganesh Mandir, the local Hindu temple.
The festival, begun here 2005, highlights the Hindu elephant-headed Ganesh, also known as Ganesha, the god of of wisdom and prosperity. The celebration is a blend of Hindu faith and Indian culture.
Participating local leaders included Mayor Mary Ferdon on Sept,. 7 and Chad Phillips, superintendent of Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. on Sept. 8. Phillips accompanied revelers during part of their procession from The Commons to Mill Race Park, a traditional segment of the closing ceremonies.
“Our volunteers all worked very hard,” Kolhatkar said.
Normally, the Ganesh Festival begins here on a Thursday and closes on a Sunday. Kolhatkar said that next year’s schedule probably will begin on Monday. But those details will be finalized later, partly based on the lunar calendar.
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.
Currently, Hindus are planning its annual Diwali Festival workshops, a celebration of lights. The workshops, offering guidance for Diwali-related arts and crafts, will be held Oct. 26 at The Commons.
