Maharashtra Declares Public Ganeshotsav as Official State Festival
Festival
4 min read
The Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra has declared the ‘Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav’ as the state festival. The decision of the government was announced by the State Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar in the state Legislative Assembly on 10 July 2025. ‘Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav 'refers to the public celebration of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival as distinct from the festival celebrated in the household.. Freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak is credited with starting the modern ‘Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav’ in the state in 1893 to mobilise Indian people against British rule and instil cultural pride and nationalism.
The 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival will start from August 27, 2025.
Reason for declaring it a State Festival
According to the state government, the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav is a symbol of Maharashtra’s pride and cultural identity.
The festival is rooted in promoting social unity, spirit of freedom, nationalism, self-respect and pride in the Marathi language.
Benefits
The state government will bear all expenses related to the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav, organised by public bodies around the state.
The state will bear the expenses related to infrastructure for setting up pandals, police security, and will provide a lump sum financial support to the organisers.
About Ganeshotsav
The Hindus worship Lord Ganesha, and his reference is found in the Puranas.
The festival became a part of the social fabric of the region during the time of the Satavahanas, Chalukyas, and Rashtrakutas.
During the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Lord Ganesh was made the ‘Rashtradev’ or the state deity of the Maratha Empire.
With the decline of the Maratha Empire, the festival became a private festival due to the absence of any state support.
Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Ganesh Utsav
Prominent Indian nationalist, freedom fighter, and social reformer Bal Gangadhar Tilak revived the celebration of the Ganesh festival in 1893 in the state.
He saw the mass celebration of a cultural and religious festival as a means to unite and mobilise the public, instilling a sense of solidarity and nationalism among the people.
Tilak, also known as Lokmanya, believed that mass celebrations would instil pride among the people about their culture and heritage.
Tilak used the festival as a means to propagate the message of nationalism and resistance against British rule.
