Rangoli

The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and many other parts of India. Started by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the great Maratha ruler, to promote culture and nationalism, the festival was revived by Lokmanya Tilak, the much-respected freedom fighter, to spread the message of freedom struggle and to defy the British who had banned public assemblies. The festival gave the Indians a feeling of unity and revived their patriotic spirit and faith. This public festival formed the background for political leaders who delivered speeches to inspire people against the western rule. The festival is so popular that the preparations begin months in advance. We have chosen some of the rangoli from our collection for this Ganesh Chaturthi.