Ganesh Chaturti is around the corner, and it’s time for devotees to welcome the lovable god into their homes. This festival is celebrated with great pomp and ceremony for ten days across the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka. It signifies the homecoming of Lord Ganesha, with beautiful idols of the elephant-headed god being installed in homes and on streets, and delectable sweets being offered to him every day.
Here are a few ways in which you can prepare your home for Ganesh Chaturti this year.
De-clutter and clean your home
To allow fresh, positive energy to enter your home this festive season, the first thing you should do is to deep clean your home. Throw out anything that’s broken, no longer in use, or has been outgrown.
Old books, piles of old newspapers, and old clothes should be given away. Dust and vacuum every room, making sure that you reach every nook and crevice. Deep clean every surface and give your kitchen some special attention.
Before preparing delectable sweets as prasad for Ganesha, you should always start with a sparkling clean kitchen. Organise all your utensils, spoons, crockery, and cutlery ahead of time for serving up all your festive treats.
We suggest: Get your family involved. You can use all the help you get, and it’s a great way to get the festive spirit going!
Refresh your curtains and upholstery
At least once a year, you should refresh your soft furnishings, and there’s no better time than now. Pick bright and festive colours like red, yellow, and green to welcome your guests to your home. You can think of upgrading your cushions, sofa upholstery and curtains.
Transform the look of your living room with some colourful area rugs and floor mats. Swap your daily bed covers with the pretty bed linen that you usually reserve for guests.
We suggest: While furnishings in gold or silver are excellent at a festive time, they can get overwhelming when used daily. So, it’s a good idea to keep a set of furnishings for use at a festive time and put them away once your celebrations are over.
Create a focus wall in your living room
Have you always wanted to create an accent wall in your living room, but were hesitant to try? A focus wall that’s painted in an attention-grabbing colour could make all the difference to your room.
Earthy Russet, energising teal, sunny golden-yellow or refreshing spring green are lovely choices for focus walls that can revitalise the look and feel of your entire room.
Create a colour palette that matches your focus wall and work the rest of the elements in your room to go with the flow.
Hang a Toran
No festival is ever complete without a Toran at the door to welcome your guests. Make one with fresh marigolds, roses, and mango leaves, and get set to usher in prosperity and luck into your home.
Marigolds stay fresh for several days and are a must-have for any festive celebrations in your home. You can also think of filling a brass uruli with water, and floating petals with some perfumed tealight candles on the surface to add a traditional touch to your festivities.
Decorate the Pooja
Your Ganesha is going to take pride of place in your Pooja room, so after giving it a deep clean, you should decorate it with colourful rangolis, flower garlands, and ornamental diyas. Polish the brassware till it shines and light some aromatic incense sticks to create a festive ambience.
Hang a string of fairy lights to add to the sparkle and magic of the season.
Opt for an eco-friendly festival
The festival of Ganesh Chaturti traditionally ends with a celebratory procession where the idol of Ganesha is immersed into a lake, pond, river, or the sea. Most idols in local markets are made using toxic, non-biodegradable colours that are full of toxic chemicals that harm marine life.
We urge you to choose ‘green’ idols, made of clay and organic colours like sandal and turmeric, that will not harm the fish and plants when immersed. This year let’s take a conscious decision to keep our planet healthy and safe for everyone.
This article is contributed by Dipti Das, AVP-Design, HomeLane.com.
(The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of RoofandFloor)
Nice tips for Ganesh Chaturthi.