~Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde; Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis; State Congress President Nana Patole; and NCP leader Supriya Sule graced the celebrations to seek blessings~
20th August 2024: News18 Lokmat’s ‘Bappa Morya Re’ witnessed a grand gathering of popular celebrities and political leaders who came together to seek Lord Ganesha’s blessings during the vibrant Ganesh Festival. The celebrations, filled with enthusiasm, became a central point for Maharashtra’s cultural and social life.
The renowned political figures in attendance included Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde; Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis; State Congress President Nana Patole; and NCP leader Supriya Sule. Also present were Sanjay Raut from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, along with key State Cabinet Ministers such as Girish Mahajan and Udai Samant, Fall gathered to pay their respects to Lord Ganesha.
Additionally, the celebration also attracted popular celebrities from the Marathi entertainment industry. The celebrities included veteran actors Ashok Saraf, Sachin Pilgaonkar, and Supriya Pilgaonkar, alongside stars like Swapnil Joshi, Amey Wagh, Adinath Kothare, and Prajakta Mali. Other known figures included Rucha Vaidya, Gashmeer Mahajani, Adesh Bandekar, Vandana Gupte, Aditya Nair, Arun Kadam, Prasad Oak, and Irina Rudakova, who graced the event, contributing to the festive spirit.
This year’s main attraction was the Pandal Competition which united communities from seven major cities across Maharashtra, including Nagpur, Nashik, Pune, Mumbai, Sambhajinagar, Amravati, and Kolhapur. Every individual city hosted a range of creatively designed Ganesh pandals, featuring themes that ranged from traditional depictions to modern concepts highlighting social issues, environmental sustainability, and the region’s cultural heritage. The competitions sparked a friendly rivalry among participants, with pandals being judged on artistic merit, eco-friendly practices, innovative themes, and their overall impact on the community.
News18 Lokmat’s ‘Bappa Morya Re’ was co-presented by Oxyrich and Finolex Pipes & Fittings, and co-powered by Reliance Industries Ltd. The event was also backed by several key partners, including SVC Co-Operative Bank Ltd. as the Banking Partner, Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University as the Education Partner, along with special partners Society Tea and Denver.
