A Legacy of Tradition: Mumbai's Oldest Ganpati Mandal

The Keshavji Naik Chawl Ganpati mandal in Girgaum, established by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1893, continues to celebrate the Ganpati festival in Mumbai while preserving its traditional roots. Despite changing times, the mandal maintains its historic practices and emphasizes eco-friendly celebrations.

As the grandeur of Ganpati celebrations swells across Mumbai, the city's oldest mandal remains steadfast in its commitment to tradition, marking a 132-year legacy.

Founded in 1893 by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in Girgaum, the Keshavji Naik Chawl Ganpati mandal was envisaged as a unifying public festivity to fuel the freedom movement.

''Since Lokmanya Tilak initiated this public Ganpati festival, we have upheld the traditions and rituals consistently. We allocate one day for women to perform all ceremonies, and another exclusively for youth,'' stated the mandal's secretary, Kumar Valekar, on Thursday.

Valekar also highlighted the mandal's 132-year practice of installing a two-foot eco-friendly Ganpati idol. Notably, on Wednesday, the US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, and the US consul general in Mumbai, visited the mandal.

Comprising five single-story buildings with a shared passage, Keshavji Naik Chawl's festivities are now overseen by the Shree Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Sanstha. This year's celebrations, beginning on September 7, will conclude on Anant Chaturdashi, September 17.