The Peshwa's Ganesh Utsav

Ganesh Utsav of the Peshwa's at Shaniwarwada

Nana Saheb Peshwa had embibed the "Ganpatya Vrata," from Moraya Gosavi's pet student, Devdharvidhar Maharaj. 

A "Vrata" means a vow or promise. It is a religious practice to carry out certain obligations with a view to achieve divine blessing for the fulfillment of your desires.

Before Nana saheb, the lord Ganesh was prayed with the other residing deities at the Shaniwarwada. No separate statue was brought during the Ganesh festival. It was only in Nanasaheb's rule that a separate statue, made of shadu or clay was specially carved into the form of Ganesh and brought into the Shaniwarwada.

Ganesh Utsav began on the first day or Pratipada of the Bhadrapad month according to the Hindu calender and ended on the tenth day of Bhadrapad shudh.

In the first three days, worship of Ganesh was held on the existing idol at the Shaniwarwada. On the fourth day or Chaturthi the shadu or clay statue was reinstated.

In the night a Shez Aarti was sung, which was like a sweet lullaby for the Lord everyday for eight nights. On the ninth night a Padya Puja or worshiping the Lords feet, was performed which was to make the lord come back again soon.

I remember in my child hood of singing the Shez Aarti and performing the Padya Puja and it still continues to this day.

The words went....

"शयन मंदिरा सी चला वेळ जाह्ली 

पुष्पमयी शेज सिध्द नियत ज्या स्थळी 

दुरकरी  जनचीन्ता ख्षण भरी तरी 

शक्ती सहित विश्रांती घ्यावी श्रीहरी".......

Please come towards your sleeping chamber O Lord

Your bed is strewn with aromatic flowers

Leave and forget about the worries of the world for a while

Your eternal strength too needs respite

And the song goes on....

In the reign of Nanasaheb Peshwa an expenditure of Rs.2682 for the Utsav is documented in the Peshwa Duptar.

This Utsav gained more importance during Madhavrao Sahebs time. Madhavrao was an ardent worshiper of Lord Ganesh.

Puja was held twice a day. Aarti and the chanting of mantras and shlokas went on throughtout the day. In the night an offering of milk, barfi (a sweetmeat), and beetle leaf with supari (beetle nut) was made to the Lord.

In the Hindu tradition the beetle leaf holds a prominent place, offered to all the Gods, given with the coconut, grain and cereals to a saint, pujari or monk on auspicious days.

Every day one monk was given a "vida". This consisted of the beetle leaf, beetle nuts, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and saffron. The quantity was such that it would last him for a whole year.

An expense record of the Utsav during Madharao's period in 1767, is Rs. 3000.

On the last or the 10th day the Lord would be taken out in an Ambari (A howdah with a canopy), to be immersed in the river.

Ganesh Utsav was not held in the Shaniwarwada after the murder of Narayanrao Peshwa in1773. 

It was restarted by Nana Phadnis and Sakharam Bapu Bokil, the two able administrators of the Peshwa in 1778 at Fort Purandhar as the next Peshwa, Sawai Madhavrao was living there. He was 4years old.

After Sawai Mahavrao came back to Shaniwarwada, between the period 1760 to 1791, the Utsav was celebrated on an enormous scale with great pomp and splendour. There were 526 dancers, 185 singers, 732 folk artists, play actors who came from all over India to perform on the 10 days of the festival. The estimated cost coming to around Rs. 4358.

Each person was paid Re.1 to Rs.81 depending on their skills. There were other communities like for example the Guravs. These essentially had come to Maharashtra from Rajasthan, during the era of Shivaji Maharaj, and had settled there. They were Shiv worshipers but were also known for their music. They also looked after the temples in Maharashtra. Then there were the workers who were known as Hardas and the Karnekari's ( terms which are not heard of today). The Hardas were given Rs.51 and clothes during the period.

1815 was the last year in which the Ganesh Utsav was celebrated.

 After that Shaniwarwada became silent.

Today it stands tall and inviting you to go and have a look at the remains of it glorious past.