Popular ‘1 Village, 1 Ganpati’ concept: A 60-year-old boon

Mumbai: Way back in 1961, communist leader Bhau Sakharam Patil proposed the ‘One Village One Ganpati’ policy during the 11-day Ganesh festival in Agroli, now part of Navi Mumbai region. Today, this is now practised in several areas of Maharashtra. Since each family need not install its own idol, a common Ganesh idol for the village would save on expenditure, Patil suggested in the aftermath of a flu epidemic in the area. The village’s inhabitants were mostly fisherfolk and saltpan workers (Agari-Koli) whose income was modest at best. “People were poor, but many families would still borrow money to celebrate the festival and become indebted,” said Dilip Vaidya, a trustee of the Sarvajanik (community) Ganesh Mandal of Agroli.

Initially people of the village were not very receptive to the idea as they were afraid that a breach of tradition would invite divine wrath. But gradually every family came on board. “This was the first village where ‘One Village One Ganpati’ concept was implemented and the tradition has continued for more than 60 years,” said Bhushan Patil, a grandson of Bhau Patil.—PTI