Actress Manasi Joshi Roy, best known for playing the titular role in the Zee TV show Lakshmi Niwas, has shared a heartfelt account of her personal connection with Lord Ganesha as Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 celebrations get under way across Mumbai. Speaking ahead of the festival, the actress traced a journey of faith that spans more than three decades.

A Connection Rooted in Childhood

Growing up in a Gujarati Brahmin household in Mumbai, Roy says Lord Ganpati was always a constant presence in her life. Yet it was a specific moment in 1992 that transformed familiarity into a deeply personal bond. '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 and fell in love with the man who is my husband today,' she said. Standing beside him during an Aarti at his aunt's home, a young Roy quietly prayed that her new relationship would flourish — and felt, she recalls, an unmistakable sense of being heard.

A Vow Fulfilled in the First Year of Marriage

That spiritual encounter sparked a promise. Roy revealed that during one of her annual Aarti visits she took a mannat — a vow — to bring Lord Ganpati home once she was married. She kept that promise in 1999, the first year of her marriage to actor Rohit Roy. 'It felt beautiful and right, holy and spiritual,' she said, describing the occasion. In the years that followed, even without a home installation, the deity retained what she calls 'his special place in my temple and my heart.'

A Daughter's Insistence Revives the Tradition

The tradition was revived in 2008, and it took a six-year-old to make it happen. Roy recounted that her daughter returned home the day before Ganesh Chaturthi that year, having just visited her uncle's house where preparations were already in full swing, and demanded to know why the family was not bringing 'Ganu' home. 'So like any indulgent parents we decided to bring HIM home that year,' Roy said. The family rushed to select a murti, called a decorator, ordered sweets, flowers and fruits, and invited friends and relatives — embracing the full 10-day festivity with enthusiasm they had not anticipated. 'During the 1st Aarti I'd inevitably get tears in my eyes,' she added, describing the depth of gratitude she feels each time she stands before the idol.

Faith as an Anchor Through Life's Storms

Roy was candid about the fact that devotion has not shielded her from difficulty. 'Life still was full of ups and downs but my Faith in HIM and other beliefs helped me to ride every storm,' she said. For the actress, the annual ritual is less about ceremony and more about a living relationship — one that began with a young woman's quiet prayer in someone else's home and has since woven itself through marriage, parenthood, and the ordinary turbulence of life. Lakshmi Niwas, in which she plays the lead, airs on Zee TV.