Ganesh Utsav 2015 – The springboard of changes initiated by Sadguru Aniruddha Bapu

Last week was filled with joy and happiness. I was lucky to have got a chance to be part of the seva at Happy Home for the Ganesh Utsav celebrations of residence of Sadguru Aniruddha Bapu. This year’s Utsav was the springboard of changes initiated by Sadguru Aniruddha Bapu.

The biggest of the surprises was the decision of Sadguru Bapu to cancel the organization of ‘Miravnuk’ or the celebration procession which is considered by the witnesses as the grandest, and yet the most pleasant and devotion-filled manifestations. Bapu had taken this decision so as to contribute towards reducing the chronic traffic woes of the Mumbaikars and also towards reducing the pressure on Police force of the city during the widely celebrated eleven-day Ganeshotsav. Initially the Shraddhavans were little emotionally moved by this decision. But just within 4-5 days from this decision Shraddhavans got a practical example of how relevant this decision was. A local train derailed on the Western railway line which resulted in complete snapping of railway services and as a result total choking of all roads in the western, extended-western suburbs and central Mumbai. This issue underlined the transportation problems. Here it is to be noted that with its sheer size and magnanimity the processions of earlier years organized have had a cascading effect on the traffic right till Haji Ali in the central Mumbai. Hence this decision from Bapu showed that He starts it from himself before preaching others and how practically and boldly He thinks.

One more thing made easy with this bold decision was, this year the day post-miravnuk was a Sunday. Hence Shraddhavans did not feel much of the pressure. But from next year the cancellation of the Procession will provide a breather to all the Shraddhavans so that they are fresh for their offices for the next day.

Another decision taken by Param Poojya Aniruddha Bapu which was a surprise for the Shraddhavans was the cancelling of Mahaaarti which is held at around 9:30 pm on the first day. The Mahaaarti like the procession is equally the grandest. The cancellation really made all the Shraddhavans feel like missing something huge as not only could the devotees present at Happy Home enjoy it but Shraddhavans from their homes could also take part in the enjoyments as a result of the live streaming of the Mahaarti which had happened for last couple of years directly from Bapu’s residence. But it was observed that Mahaaarti resulted in the darshan of Ganpati Bappa being paused for atleast couple of hours which resulted in darshan going on all the way till 2:00 am at midnight. The cancellation actually resulted in ending the darshan and other activities at 9:30 pm at night and as a result all the Shraddhavan bhaktas and sevaks could reach home well before mid-night.

Parampoojya Sadguru Bapu was in the midst of his intense upasana hence He did not meet His Shraddhavan friends actively. But Parampoojya Nandai and Poojya Suchitdada made it a point to be amongst the Shraddhavans for the whole three day. Alternately, Poojya Samirdada was present at the main gate of Happy Home for the most of the times and greeted almost every Shraddhavan who had come for the darshan. Along with him Respected Swapnilsinh, Respected Paurassinh and all the senior officials of the Sanstha were completely engrossed in welcoming the Shraddhavans and making darshan comfortable for them.

Even though there were many changes the sanctity, piousness and the required vedic rituals were performed to the perfection without any deviation thus stressing the point that Bapu always mentions – “Rules are for people, people are not for rules”.

The series of many more needed and necessary changes to come in future are now anticipated and welcome....