Article-Ganesh fest-Stars&Nostalgia-Mamiji

Utkarsha Naik

Popular TV actress Utkarsha Naik is spiritually inclined and hence Ganesh Chaturthi is a very special occasion for her and her family. Talking about what the festival means to her, Naik said, "I am spiritually rooted so on Ganesh Chaturthi, I feel as if I have moved back in time to an era when Ganesha was born. Indian spirituality is the oldest and we discovered the galaxy much before any one could do with the help of scientific gadgets and machines. So, in a way Ganesh Chaturthi acts as a time machine that helps me visit the olden era." Utkasrha works round the clock. Her work commitments keep her on her toes leaving little time to perform pooja at home. She said, "I do not find time these days to conduct Pooja at home. However, I do pray to Lord Ganesha and make modak for him. I also visit my friend's place to take part in the Chaturthi celebrations."
However, Utkarsha does cherish the time she had conducted a pooja at her residence for the first time. "When we did Ganesh Pooja for the first time, we decorated Ganesha's aasan beautifully and had also made a chariot for him. We spent a lot a time thinking how we could make it more beautiful and I cherish this memory a lot," said the actress. But Utkarsha feels it is important to be spiritually inclined because modern lifestyle leaves you exhausted. "People's lifestyle has changed drastically. But as long as we welcome Ganesha with devotion, there is nothing that can spoil the novelty of the pious day." "Ganesh Chturthi reminds me of Lokmanya Tilak. It was his idea to make Ganesh Pooja a community festival. His aim was make people a cohesive unit during the reign of the Britishers. We need to maintain the same spirit and have Sarvajanik Pooja so that collectively we (Indians) can fight all problems," the actress added, laying more emphasis on the real purpose behind the collective celebrations.