It’s more about an emotional connect: Smita Thackeray on Ganeshotsav

Smita Thackeray’s residence is abuzz with activity for Ganesh Utsav. Smita, a devout Ganesh bhakt celebrates the festival with much gusto every year. It’s a time that the family looks forward to spending time together. Smita’s sons Rahul and Aishwarya have seen the festival in Matoshree, the famous Thackeray family residence, and now the tradition is carried forward in the Juhu house. Dressed in a nauvari sari, Rahul’s wife Aditi too joins in the festivities.

Emotional connect

Smita says that she has always been a Ganesh devotee. “I believe in his strength. I have had so many experiences and they have made my belief stronger. When I used to stay at Matoshree, I used to go to Siddhivinyak Temple. Every guruji there knows me even now. In fact, I was six when I started fasting on Tuesdays as it is considered to be Ganpati’s day,” she says.

Nobody in my family was extremely religious and nobody asked me to start fasting, but it just was something that came from within.”

Post marriage it was her mother-in-law Meenatai Thackeray, who Smita followed where traditions were concerned. “My mother-in-law used to follow all the traditions, and I used to follow everything that she would do. But I think it’s not just about religion and devotion, there’s a certain energy that I get when I sit in my mandir or do these things. I get so much strength. When you believe and surrender to those energies you feel strong from within,” she says.

Idol talk

The idol at Smita’s residence is one that has been passed down from generation to generation.

“This idol has been in our family for around 120 years. My mother-in-law used to pray to it. When she was unwell, she said, ‘You know what it means to take care of it, so you do it’. After her death, I continued the tradition. When I moved here, I got the idol here. My kids, too, are very happy to follow the tradition.” Smita is particularly emotional about the idol. She says, “He has witnessed all the people in our family and their journey. It started with my father-in-law’s father. His intention was to create some kind of awareness during the fight for freedom. Then during my father-in-law’s time, it was when Shiv Sena came together. The blessings on Shiv Sena and on him has been there. For me, it’s priceless because it’s come from my mother-in-law and father-in-law, the most precious people in my life. Now, it’s helping us bond together as a family. My sons are not very religious, but this is important to them because the statue has come from their aaja and aaji.”

Back in time

Both Rahul and Aishwarya have fond memories of the time they spent with their grandfather — Balasaheb Thackeray — during the festival. Rahul says, “It was all the fun of putting small things together. We all had duties. We used to help our grandmother make modaks — tedhe medhe bante the — but it was so much fun. As our generation started growing in numbers, it started getting more fun. Our grandmother used to divide work among us. We tried to make it more fun by involving more people. It was not just about following, but also about evolving.” Aishwarya, being youngest would get to spend a lot of time with his grandfather. Smita says, “He was his aaja ki poonch. He would be in his grandfather’s arms or on his lap all the time.” Aishwaya adds, “My grandfather never  missed an aarti. He would be the first person to show up on the time decided for the aarti. He was very particular about time and would want the aarti to begin on time.” Of all the festivities, Aishwarya, who is inclined towards music and performance arts, says that playing the jhaanj was what fascinated him the most. “I used to be really excited about it.” Smita adds, “He always had an ear for music. He would have so much fun with it. So, all his memories are related to that.”

New traditions

Smita has made a few changes in the way they welcome Lord Ganesha into their home. “Earlier the panditji would come do the pooja. But I felt that they weren’t doing it keenly, especially in this festive season they want to hurry up. Me, being a devotee, I felt that since I know all the mantras and the correct i I could do it with all my heart.” While the family still prays to the murti that’s over 120 years old, they now have a smaller murti along with it. Rahul says, “We now bring in a second murti. So, we have two visarjans. We carry out a symbolic visarjan of the murti that we have in the house. The other murti is taken to Juhu after the celebrations are over after one-and-a-half-days.” Rahul says that they ensured that the second murti is eco-friendly — made from shadhuchi maati. “We knew that if we get another murti it will be an eco-friendly one. We didn’t even need to have a discussion about it.” Smita adds, “We started getting a smaller murti because my children were keen to have the fun that other people have during visarjan. The visarjan procession is great fun with everyone singing Ganpati songs. Of course, our voices are gone the next day.” Smita says that though their Ganpati idol is heavy, her sons carry it to every corner of the house before the symbolic visarjan takes place. “It’s our way of asking the God to watch over us at all times,” she says.

Kitchen confidential

Smita admits that she does spend a lot of time in the kitchen in between the festivities. “I am everywhere that day because I like doing everything. My mother and I, and now my daughter-in-law, make sure that the food that has to be part of the prasad is cooked to perfection. The ukdiche modak (steamed modak) at my home are a speciality. I have friends who tell me that they are coming especially for those. And I like to make sure everyone gets to have them. During the aartis, we are all at our energetic best. Everyone who is part of the household, including the guards and helpers, join in and I am always nudging them to sing louder and with more energy,” she laughs.

Family time

Smita is happy that her sons are excited about the festival. “They now know all the rituals that we do. Their excitement gives me a boost. If they had not shown that kind of interest it would have been different. It’s more about an emotional connect with the festival and Ganpati bappa. Also, it’s about family bonding. These kind of festivals bring people together. Saheb was the one to who would bring people together, and my mother-in-law would look at the tradition aspect of it. So, it was a great mix of both. That’s what I try to follow.” For the one-and-a-half-day of celebrations, Smita tries to set aside all work. “Earlier all the children used to be together. And even now, despite hectic schedules we try to make the most of it. Raj’s (Thackeray) family comes every year to seek blessing,” she says.

In the future...

Smita’s daughter-in-law Aditi, too, loves celebrating the festival. So what advice does Smita have for her? “I don’t really have any advice because it has to come from within. I used to follow what my mother-in-law told me about the traditions and rituals. Recently, during Krishna Janmashtami, I wasn’t home, so she called me up and asked me about the rituals and did them at home,” she says with pride.