From Toronto to Brisbane and Auckland, families and youngsters of Gujarati origin celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with devotion and creativity
Ganesh Chaturthi may be rooted in Indian soil, but Gujaratis across the world are ensuring that the festive spirit of Ganpati Bappa Morya resonates far beyond their homeland. From themed pandals in Canada to eco-friendly idols in New Zealand and traditional rituals in Australia, the diaspora continues to embrace the festival with the same zeal as back home, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
The group, comprising Ravi Kadiwala, Bhaumik, Swapnil, Minal Prajapati, and Ankit Patel—all working professionals—prepare fresh meals and sweets daily for Ganpati, even offering the traditional Chhappan Bhog on one day. They recalled how, when they first moved abroad, cooking was their biggest challenge, but Ganesh Utsav became the occasion to bond over fresh, homemade meals.
In Toronto, a group of youngsters from Surat has been celebrating Ganesh Utsav for the past seven years, each time with a unique theme. This year, inspired by the bravery of the Indian Army, they dedicated their pandal to ‘Operation Sindoor’
In Stouffville, Canada, the Mehta family from Billimora has been celebrating Ganesh Utsav for over two decades. Rajiv Mehta, along with his wife Hiral and children Shiv and Riya, welcomes Bappa home each year. Hiral says, “Neighbors and friends from the community also join us for darshan and prayers.”
In Brisbane, Australia, Sanjay Patel’s children Pearl and Shyam, along with Keyur and Priyanka Patel, performed the pran-pratishtha of Ganpati after reciting holy scriptures. Students from Surat studying in Australia also joined in, making the celebration reminiscent of festivities back in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, in Auckland, New Zealand, Gujaratis gathered at the home of Niki and Harsh Patel, who hosted Ganpati with an eco-friendly idol purchased from a local Indian store. As waterbody immersions are restricted, the family performed visarjan at home and distributed the idol’s clay as prasad to devotees for use in potted plants—keeping the spirit alive while honoring environmental norms.
