The expenses incurred for the celebration are collected from the families that would bring Ganesh idols in their households, while others contribute voluntarily.

At Ghariwali, there are no additional expenses incurred as the village hosts Ganesh festival at the Ganesh temple. For the village with a population of 1400 people, Ganesh festival celebration is basically walking across to the Ganesh temple and offering prayers. “During the first day of the Ganesh Chaturthi, there would be a long queue of devotees from dawn to dusk,” said Sudam Patil (62), who officiates as a priest of the temple. Patil says that the custom is being religiously followed is also due to a villager who lost his sanity after unsuccessfully trying to bring the Ganesh idol for private celebration to his house.

Incidentally, the state government is promoting ‘one-village-one-Ganpati’ to reduce the disputes that arise during the celebrations and processions.