Exclusive: Ganpati Took Care of Me in Mumbai: Sahil Anand

Sahil Anand opens up about his Ganpati celebrations and how close this festival is to him. He also shares how it all started when he came to Mumbai.

Here are a few edited excerpts from this exclusive conversation

What makes this Ganpati celebration particularly special for you?

What makes this Ganpati celebration particularly special for me is that my son is now 3 years old; he knows about Ganesha, and he is eagerly waiting for Ganesha every day, so I am very excited about that. My parents, and my in-laws from Chandigarh, are coming over this time, and I'm really excited because it will be a full house. And looking forward to Ganesh ji blessing us all!
 
Can you share a cherished childhood memory with this festival that still makes you smile?

In my childhood, I was in Chandigarh. And there in Punjab, Ganpati is not celebrated as it is in Mumbai or other parts of Maharashtra. I knew about Ganpati ji, the visarjana, and all the celebrations of the festival. But staying in Chandigarh, we could never celebrate it as we do now in Mumbai. But the best part is now we can celebrate the festival and have all the fun of it.
 
How has your connection with Ganpati evolved over the years, and what significance does it hold in your life today?

My connection with Ganpati ji—when I came to Mumbai, I was not getting work. So, a friend of mine suggested that I walk with him to Siddhivinayak on Monday night and do a darshan and aarti on Tuesday morning. So, I did that, and it was just magical! The next day when I got up, I had cracked two ads—one was of Samsung and the other was of Reebok. You need some incident in life to believe in him, and it was just that. I walked, and things started happening the next day, and it was just THE start for me. The role of Ganpati in my life is too much. He takes care of me—my parents live in Chandigarh, so I believe that he took care of me. He was like a parent to me in Mumbai and in this industry to overcome all the struggles.
 
What is your favorite aspect of the Ganpati festival, and how do you like to celebrate it?

My favorite aspect—the Ganpati festival as a whole—is so cherishable and so full of happiness for me. My whole family—when we were in Chandigarh, we would all meet on Diwali. Staying in Mumbai, my parents and in-laws, who stay in Chandigarh, come to the city to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with us. Even all of my friends come to my house, so I have no words to explain how happy I feel, and I look forward to Ganpati ji coming to our house.
 
Are there any family traditions or rituals that you follow during Ganpati, and what's the story behind them?

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The story behind Ganpati ji coming to my house is because of my son. For three years, the time he was born, we've been keeping eco-friendly Ganpati ji at my home. I think, as my son came into this world, Ganpati ji also entered my world and my home. And that's where my story with Ganpati ji started. And the traditions are the same as the rest of the city. I'm already very religious in life. My mom is too religious; my Nanu was a pandit. We have a kaali mata temple in Amritsar. We have already been so devotional towards God, and adding Ganpati ji into our lives has only brought wonders.