Jaipur's iconic Moti Dungri Ganesh Temple is gearing up for an especially grand Ganesh Chaturthi this year, with preparations now in their final stretch. Temple authorities and devotees alike are buzzing with excitement ahead of the nine-day celebration, during which lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad are expected to visit the shrine to seek Lord Ganesh's blessings.
Nine days of festivities, temple decked out in flowers and lights
The Ganesh Chaturthi festivities at Moti Dungri Ganesh Temple will run from September 7 to September 15, spanning a full nine days. Through this period, the temple complex will be decorated like a bride, adorned with flowers and elaborate lighting. A fresh tableau will be set up each day, alongside a series of religious and cultural programmes. For these nine days, the entire city of Jaipur is expected to be immersed in devotion to Bappa.
September 14: the big day, marked with special rituals
Among all the days of the festival, September 14 holds special significance, as it marks Lord Ganesh's birth anniversary celebration, observed with great fervour. The temple will host special prayers, an abhishek (ritual bathing of the deity) and a havan on this day. Lord Ganesh will be dressed in a new outfit and given an elaborate special adornment for the occasion, and a massive turnout of devotees is expected for a glimpse of this special form.
September 9: a 3,000-kg modak tableau, with two modaks weighing 251 kg each
On the third day of the festival, September 9, the temple complex will host a striking tableau built around a total of 3,000 kilograms of modaks offered to the deity. The centrepiece of this massive offering will be two especially large modaks, each weighing 251 kilograms. Devotees are expected to travel from far-flung areas just to catch a glimpse of these giant sweets, and the offering has already become a talking point across the city.
September 13 Sinjara: Lord Ganesh on a silver throne, 3,500 kg of mehndi used
A day before Ganesh Chaturthi, on September 13, the temple will observe the traditional Sinjara celebration. On this occasion, Lord Ganesh will be seated on a grand silver throne to give darshan to devotees. Around 3,500 kilograms of mehndi will be used for this special observance, adding to the traditional charm of the Sinjara festivities.
Darshan for over 19 hours, grand procession on September 15
Given the massive crowds expected, the temple's doors will remain open for an unusually long stretch on Ganesh Chaturthi day, allowing devotees to have darshan of Lord Ganesh continuously for more than 19 hours. Following this, on September 15, the final day of the festival, a grand procession (shobha yatra) of Lord Ganesh will be taken out at 4 pm. The procession will pass through several major roads of the city, with flowers being showered on Bappa at various points along the route. Altogether, this nine-day celebration is set to be a memorable one for the people of Jaipur.
