Gadkari extends Anant Chaturdashi wishes, bids farewell to Bappa
Synopsis
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari marked Anant Chaturdashi on September 25, 2026, sharing the beloved 'Ganpati Bappa Morya' farewell chant and invoking Ganesha's blessings for all as the ten-day Ganeshotsav drew to a close.
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari posted Anant Chaturdashi greetings on September 25, 2026 .
Anant Chaturdashi marks the tenth and final day of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, culminating in idol immersion ( visarjan ).
Gadkari invoked the traditional chant 'Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya' — a farewell that carries a promise of return.
The festival has deep roots in Maharashtra; Bal Gangadhar Tilak institutionalised its public celebration in 1893 .
Political leaders across Maharashtra's spectrum routinely participate publicly in Ganeshotsav observances.
On the auspicious close of Ganeshotsav 2026, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari joined millions of devotees in bidding a heartfelt farewell to Lord Ganesha, invoking blessings for all on Anant Chaturdashi.
Posting on Friday, September 25, 2026, Gadkari shared the timeless Maharashtrian chant — 'Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya' ('O Ganpati Bappa, come back soon next year') — a cry that echoes through every neighbourhood procession and riverside immersion across Maharashtra and beyond on this day.
The day Bappa goes home
Anant Chaturdashi, the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada, marks the culmination of the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Across Maharashtra, idols of Lord Ganesha are carried in colourful processions to rivers, lakes, and the sea for immersion — visarjan — in what is one of the largest public festivals in the country.
The tradition carries with it a promise: Bappa departs, but he will return. That spirit of joyful anticipation is captured in the farewell chant Gadkari echoed in his post.
Gadkari and Maharashtra's festival heartbeat
Gadkari, a Nagpur-born BJP leader with deep roots in Maharashtra's public life, has long participated in Ganeshotsav observances. The festival itself carries a storied political history in the state — Bal Gangadhar Tilak transformed it into a mass public celebration in 1893, using community gatherings during the festival as a vehicle for national awakening during the independence movement.
Today, leaders across Maharashtra's political spectrum mark Anant Chaturdashi publicly, making Gadkari's greeting part of a broad, cross-party tradition of civic participation in the festival's close.
Point of View
Public participation in Ganeshotsav is both genuine cultural expression and a signal of rootedness in the state's dominant festive identity. The festival's origins as a vehicle for mass mobilisation, going back to Tilak's era, lend even ceremonial greetings a faint undertone of community consolidation. Across party lines, Maharashtra's leaders understand that silence during Ganeshotsav carries its own message — which is precisely why none choose it.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Anant Chaturdashi?
Anant Chaturdashi is the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada and marks the final day of the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival, when devotees immerse Lord Ganesha's idol in water bodies in a ritual called visarjan.
What does 'Ganpati Bappa Morya Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya' mean?
The phrase is a traditional Marathi farewell chant meaning 'O Ganpati Bappa, come back soon next year.' It is chanted during the Ganesh idol immersion processions across Maharashtra.
Why did Nitin Gadkari post Anant Chaturdashi greetings?
As a senior BJP leader from Maharashtra with strong cultural and civic ties to the state, Gadkari marked the conclusion of Ganeshotsav 2026 by sharing festival greetings and invoking Lord Ganesha's blessings for all.
When did Ganesh Chaturthi become a public festival in Maharashtra?
Bal Gangadhar Tilak transformed Ganesh Chaturthi into a large-scale public celebration in 1893, using community gatherings during the festival as a platform for national consciousness during the independence movement.
What is Ganeshotsav?
Ganeshotsav is the ten-day festival celebrating Lord Ganesha, beginning on Ganesh Chaturthi and concluding on Anant Chaturdashi. It is especially prominent in Maharashtra and is one of the largest public festivals in India.
