Going door to door for chanda
Before the pandal could be built, volunteers went from door to door collecting chanda. Every family contributed what they could, while children eagerly followed along, carrying the receipt book and ringing the next doorbell.
The pandal we built together
Everyone helped in their own way. Children made paper decorations, neighbors brought lights and chairs, and someone always knew how to fix the thermocol sign. It wasn’t perfect — but it felt special because we had all built it together.
When Ganpati arrived
For a few special days, our colony felt different. The pandal went up, the idol arrived, and everyone came together.
Bringing Ganpati Bappa home
The aarti everyone knew by heart
As the lamps were lit and the bell rang, everyone gathered for aarti. The familiar songs, clapping, and voices filled the evening, while children tried their best to keep up with the words.
The prasad - Modak, sheera, laddoo
Modak, sheera, laddoo — somehow prasad from the pandal always tasted special. Children waited for their turn, then quietly wondered if they could go back for one more.
Pandal hopping with friends
After aarti, the fun often continued. Friends walked from one pandal to another, admired the decorations, collected prasad, and stayed out a little later than usual. Every stop felt different, and every evening became a small adventure.
Ganpati Bappa Morya
On visarjan day, the whole colony joined the procession. There was music, dancing and calls of “Ganpati Bappa Morya” as everyone walked together — joyful, but a little emotional knowing the celebration was ending.
The quiet morning after visarjan
The next morning felt unusually quiet. The lights were still hanging, a few flowers were left behind, and the pandal suddenly looked empty. After days of music, aarti, and laughter, everyone was already waiting for Ganpati to return next year.
Come back tomorrow for another beautiful memory.
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