Shekhawat visits Varsha for Ganpati darshan with CM Fadnavis
Synopsis
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat visited Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis's official Mumbai residence Varsha on 25 September 2026 for Ganpati darshan, invoking the festival's message of social unity and harmony.
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat visited Varsha , the official residence of Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis , for Ganpati darshan on 25 September 2026 .
Shekhawat offered prayers to Vighnaharta Shri Ganesha for the happiness, prosperity, and welfare of all.
He described Ganesh Utsav as a 'living tradition' that promotes unity, harmony, and spirituality in society.
The visit is part of a broader pattern of BJP central ministers participating in Maharashtra's Ganesh Chaturthi as public outreach.
Shekhawat closed the post with the traditional chant 'Ganpati Bappa Morya!
Faith and fellowship converged at Mumbai's Varsha — the official residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis — as Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat visited on Friday, 25 September 2026 to offer prayers before the Ganpati idol installed there during the ongoing Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
Sharing the moment on X, Shekhawat wrote: 'मुंबई में महाराष्ट्र के मुख्यमंत्री श्री देवेंद्र फडणवीस जी के शासकीय निवास 'वर्षा' पर विराजमान श्री गणपति बप्पा के दर्शन एवं पूजन का सौभाग्य प्राप्त हुआ।' ('I had the good fortune of having the darshan and performing puja of Shri Ganesha, who is seated at Varsha, the official residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Ji in Mumbai.')
A prayer for prosperity, and the festival's message of unity
Shekhawat offered a wider reflection alongside his personal devotion, describing Ganesh Utsav as a 'living tradition of our culture' that carries a message of 'unity, harmony, and warmth in society, along with faith and spirituality.' He said he prayed to Vighnaharta Shri Ganesha — the remover of obstacles — for the happiness, prosperity, and welfare of all, closing with the traditional chant: 'Ganpati Bappa Morya! Mangalmurti Morya!'
Varsha, Fadnavis, and the ritual of Ganpati visits
Varsha has long been one of the most prominent locations in Maharashtra where public figures come to seek Ganesha's blessings during the festival. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a senior BJP leader who oversees the state government, hosts a Ganpati idol at the residence each year, drawing politicians, bureaucrats, and citizens alike. Shekhawat tagged Fadnavis in the post.
For central ministers visiting Mumbai, a stop at Varsha during Ganesh Chaturthi is both a gesture of religious solidarity and a quiet marker of the BJP's tight-knit network across the Centre and Maharashtra. Shekhawat, who holds the portfolios of Culture and Tourism and represents Jodhpur, Rajasthan in the Lok Sabha, frames the visit squarely within the cultural idiom his ministry champions.
The ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi season — one of India's largest participatory festivals — wraps up with grand Ganpati visarjan processions. Until then, visits like Shekhawat's will keep the spirit of Bappa's welcome alive in every drawing room, colony pandal, and official bungalow from Colaba to Nagpur.
Point of View
Public participation in Ganesh Chaturthi aligns neatly with the BJP's broader agenda of centering Indian cultural identity in governance and outreach. It also signals the continued warmth between the Centre and the Fadnavis-led state government. Such gestures, low-key individually, collectively form the rhythm of festival-season diplomacy that the BJP has refined into a political art form.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Gajendra Singh Shekhawat visit Varsha in Mumbai?
Shekhawat visited Varsha, the official residence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, to offer prayers before the Ganpati idol installed there during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
What is Varsha in Mumbai?
Varsha is the official government residence of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, located in Mumbai, and is a prominent venue for Ganpati celebrations each year.
What did Shekhawat say about Ganesh Chaturthi?
Shekhawat described Ganesh Utsav as a living tradition of Indian culture that carries a message of unity, social harmony, and warmth alongside faith and spirituality.
Who is Gajendra Singh Shekhawat?
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is India's Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, a senior BJP leader, and Lok Sabha MP from Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
Do BJP leaders regularly attend Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Maharashtra?
Yes, senior BJP leaders — both from the Centre and the states — regularly participate in Ganesh Chaturthi as part of public outreach and to celebrate Maharashtra's most prominent religious festival.
