Hi Everyone,Mumbai's rainy season finally seems to be over for this year at least and we commuters can heave a sigh of relief.  Once the blue skies return it is time to rejoice because then come the festivals in a row which means holidays in a row . This weekend we begin with Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayak Chaturthi.
Mumbai and Maharashtra's favourite God, Ganapati Bappa will grace countless homes in the state along with all the major street corners and minor bylanes of Mumbai. So for the next 10 days Mumbai will be decked like a bride in the evenings, we'll forget all our sorrows and the mundane events of daily life and get into the festive mood.
I know what will happen at our office. Ganapati stays  in most of our homes these ten days and there will be a daily round of sweets, modak, farsan, aru vadi, Pune chikki  and the fabulous Maharastrian Chivda. There will be a party every day during the lunch break and we will all forget to watch our waistlines. In the evenings everyone will go out to view the Ganapatis ..big and small and seek his blessings. We need him very much in a city like Mumbai where we wonder whether we will return home safely or not!!!

Once Anant Chaturdashi dawns Ganapati will leave us. We will bid him farewell as we sing 'Ganapati bappa moriya, furcha varshe laukariya' . We'll miss his presence but not for long because it will be soon time for Navaratri, Dandiya and Durga Puja. The cycle of fun will continue and more about it later..
Bye and cheerio till next time..
Joyoti