Mahad Ganapati Darshan

November 12th

On way to my hometown Khopoli from Mumbai with my school classmate Reena who picked me up in Santacruz she put me on a video call with Kantesh her brother who was also our classmate at school in Khopoli. He is now settled in California in the Bay Area but we hardly get to meet each other. The last time was over 10 years back when Reena visited California and both of them came to Bakersfield. It was really nice to catch up with Kantesh on that video call. We were both happy to see each other. 

That morning we took our first stop at a resort near Khalapur on the old Mumbai Pune highway. Our classmate Nirmala had invited us for a luncheon with her family. That evening was going to be the reception to celebrate her daughter Kavita’s recent wedding. Nirmala had specially served her homemade prawns pickle at this lunch knowing how much I love it. We met her son in law for the first time. The newly weds made a really beautiful couple. It was joy meeting Nirmala’s mom, sisters and brother, cousins and now their expanded families. I have known all of them since my childhood in Khopoli.

After lunch we  continued towards Khopoli town. Suddenly I realized we may be passing by Mahad. The driver willingly took the turn off the highway and we stopped for the darshan of Ganapati at Mahad(महड) which is one of the AshtaVinayaks. Incidentally it was sankashti Chaturthi that day ! Felt very fortunate to get the darshan although it took over 2 hours standing in the long line. Because of Chaturthi the streets leading up to the temple were in full swing with vendors selling flowers, food stuff, prasad, Ganesh idols of varying sizes and other goodies. 

Saree ,a borrowed beauty from my sister in law Shubhada. A Bhagalpuri tussar with temple motifs on its Ganga Jamuna borders and some highlights with kutchi embroidery.

From the temple headed straight to my home in Khopoli. It had been a full year I had been away. Can’t express the feeling to enter this place. Despite having bigger and more elegant places that I can call my homes in California and in Pune, this is the place where it feels my roots are holding me and my soul most at ease.