MUMBAI: The festive season has begun, and Gokuldham Society has welcomed Ganapati Bappa with the same excitement with which it celebrates all other festivals. However, this year, in Neela Telefilms’ Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, Bhide has shouldered the entire responsibility of organizing the Ganesh Utsav pandal as well as arranging for the food and other requirements. Everyone is gearing up for the puja and decorations, while the women have become busy sorting out their dresses for the occasion. On this auspicious occasion, the artists of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah share their views with us.
'Like every year, this year too, we are going to celebrate Ganesh Utsav with full excitement and energy. Also, this year, Bhide has taken the responsibility of sorting everything out by himself, so there is very little to worry about. What I find special about Ganesh Utsav is that the festival brings everyone together, and during this time of the year, the atmosphere remains spiritual and charged. I have been praying to the Ganpati Bappa to help me find my life companion, and I am sure he will answer my prayers soon. Meanwhile, it will be worth finding out how Bhide manages to put together the celebrations,' says Shyam Pathak, who plays the role of Patrakar Popatlal.
'This festival is particularly very special to me because not only do I celebrate Ganesh Utsav with everyone in Gokuldham society but I also host Ganpati Bappa at my home. And throughout the duration of his stay with us, the entire atmosphere feels spiritual. I feel very fortunate that I get to worship Ganeshji with both my professional and personal families. For the occasion, my wife prepares special modaks, which I get to the sets to share with my co-artists. Also, just like we bring an eco-friendly Ganapati Bappa in Gokuldham similarly, we bring an eco-friendly Ganapati idol at home too. It is important for us all to protect the environment while we celebrate our festivals,' says Mandar Chandwadkar who plays the role of Aatmaram Bhide.
'This year, Ganesh Utsav is going to be doubly special for me, and I’m very excited. For so many years, I have only watched people of Gokuldham Society, especially Tapu Sena, in TMKOC celebrating the festival, but with Bappa’s blessings I will now have the privilege of celebrating with them on the show. I pray to him that he keeps showering his blessings on us forever. I usually attend Ganpati celebrations at a few of my friends’ places, and I will do the same this year as well. I have watched how Gokuldham Society has always stressed on hosting eco-friendly Ganpati idols only, and I too always promote the same idea amongst my neighbors and friends. One more special reason that I like this festival so much is that I get to eat a variety of sweet treats in the form of prasad,' says Palak Sidhwani, who plays the role of Sonu.
'We host Ganpati Bappa every year at home, and all through the duration of his stay, the atmosphere remains vibrant with the aartis and pooja. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to host and serve Ganpati Bappa with both my personal and professional families. On the sets, as soon as they say "action," the aarti commences, and we all get completely engrossed in praying. None of us even feels that we are in the middle of a shoot. It is with his blessing that the show has run for over eleven years, and even today, the audiences continue to shower us with their love. We pray that our viewers continue to love us and that Bappa’s blessings remain with us forever,' says Sonalika Joshi, who plays the role of Mrs Madhavi Bhide.
Like every year, viewers will receive Bappa’s blessings along with many more reasons to laugh out loud, but what will be interesting to watch is how Bhide maintains his calm while handling the entire arrangement for the celebrations.
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