“Ganesh Chaturthi: How freedom struggle gifted Maharashtra its grandest festival”, India Today, August 27, 2025:

“Grand donations, towering idols of Lord Ganesha, dazzling mandaps on every street, countless varieties of modaks, and people swaying to the beats of dhol-tasha—that’s how Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in Maharashtra today. But its grandeur traces back over a century to freedom fighter and social reformer Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who turned the annual pooja of Lord Ganesha into a mass celebration during Bharat’s Independence movement, gifting the state its biggest festival.

“Tilak wanted to instil a sense of pride in Bharatiyas, in themselves, in their religion, and then, customs. The first step he took to bring about this was to organise the Ganapati festival on a social basis. He organised lectures during the festivities,” Madhulata Krishnan wrote in the book Biography Series – Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

The origins of Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharashtra predate the British era, when the festival was deeply embedded in the Deccan region’s cultural fabric…….”

Read the full article at Indiatoday.com