All over Maharashtra and especially in the capital Mumbai, there’s a huge build up during Ganesh Utsav.
Loud music, frenzied mobs accompanying the idols add to the local flavor and celebrations that is inseparable from Lord Ganesha festivals.
The high energy of the crowd can easily be misdirected if not well channelized. Cases of people injured during stampedes and of youth drowning during Visarjan (immersion of the idol) are common.
With an aim to revive the beauty of this tradition and maintain its sanctity, The Art of Living initiated a citywide campaign to offer stress-elimination courses to all Ganesh Mandals, Govinda Pathaks and Sai Palkhis.
From the North to the South
Over six courses were held from the Northern part of the city to its Southern tip with more than a thousand youth volunteers experiencing health benefits through the Sudarshan Kriya. Reported benefits of participants include experiencing freedom from addictions as well as the ability to control high tempers and relief from physical disorders.
Says Amol Wagle, senior faculty with The Art of Living, “Usually the festival starts with a pious aarti and sometimes concludes with chaos. The Art of Living envisions uniting all these volunteers by bringing about individual transformation, triggering a positive and peaceful change in society. ”
