Manasi Joshi Roy reminisces about connecting with Lord Ganesha ahead of Ganpati celebrations
Mumbai, Sep 13 (IANS) Actress Manasi Joshi Roy, who essays the titular role in the television show ‘Lakshmi Niwas’, has recollected when she first connected with Lord Ganpati ahead of the Ganpati celebrations in the entertainment capital of the country.
The actress reflected on cultural significance of festivities while growing up in a Gujarati Brahmin household in Mumbai.
Talking about the same, she told IANS, “Growing up in a Gujarati Brahmin household his presence was always there in my life. But the moment we both connected was in 1992. That was the year I met & fell in love with the man who is my husband today. And as we stood together doing Aarti at his aunt’s house ;Like any young girl newly in love I was praying that all would be well in our relationship & I felt an unknown pull, a connect which seemed to tell me that HE was listening to my prayers. And subsequently every year I would stand in front of HIM & pray for love & happiness. Life still was full of ups & downs but my Faith in HIM & other beliefs helped me to ride every storm”.
She took a walk down the memory lane, as she spoke about bringing Lord Ganpati home during the 1st year of her marriage to actor Rohit Roy.
She further mentioned, “One such year as I had stood there doing Aarti I had taken a mannat (vow) that I would bring him home when I got married. And so that one time he came to our house in the 1st year of my marriage in 1999. It felt beautiful & right, holy & spiritual. Many years passed after that & he has retained his special place in my temple & my heart. In 2008, my 6 year old daughter came home the day before Ganesh Chaturthi demanding to know why we weren’t getting Ganu home? My brother in law had been bringing him home since many years & she had just come back from their house where all the preparations were in full swing. This had excited her & she wanted all that festivity in her house too”.
“So like any indulgent parents we decided to bring HIM home that year. Off we rushed to choose the Murti , the decorator was called, sweets, flowers & fruits ordered, friends & relatives invited & we were ready to welcome him home. And somewhere in our hearts we were glad that she had insisted we bring him home because we wanted to have his presence in our house too. We loved the festivity & the fervour that went on for these 10 days. And I always felt a deep sense of gratitude when I stood in front of him. During the 1st Aarti I’d inevitably get tears in my eyes”, she added.
‘Lakshmi Niwas’ airs on Zee TV.
–IANS
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