Ganeshotsav 2026: Marvel at how these Mumbai artists capture the spirit of the festival in the city

Ganpati pandal at Divya Bhatia’s building

With the city in full vibrance, and festive fervour everywhere, we wonder how artists perceive the festival through their art. To explore their perspective, we connected with a couple of artists to find out how they interpret the spirit of Ganesh Chaturthi.

One sketch at a time

For illustrator and caricature artist Divya Bhatia, Ganpati is a celebration that brings people together in Mumbai. Summing it up like a true Mumbaikar, she says, "It's usually us shuttling between places; visiting friends, and offering prayers at the Ganpati idol in our housing society, which is celebrated with grand fervour."

Postcards portraying different kinds of Ganpati, celebrations in Sindhudurg

The idea for the artwork was spontaneous. "Our group, Urban Sketchers, usually does a lot of live sketching and painting, and that's how it emerged," she explains. This year, I'll be pandal-hopping and capturing the deity along with the details that make Mumbai's festivities distinctive.

The finished postcard. Pics Courtesy/artists

The sketches will then become handmade postcards, which feature Bappa and the celebrations. It will be distributed to devotees who will be at the pandals, as well as those who wish to buy it.

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Dakshata Parkar

A tale of two Ganeshas

Artist Dakshata Parkar takes a personal route, contrasting Mumbai's grand celebrations with those in her hometown, Achara, in Sindhudurg.

The grand celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai

"The idea behind this two-panel portrait was to show the differences between the city and the village. All Ganpatis are welcomed to the city with larger-than-life decorations, and with multiple people surrounding it. Some are present for their social media feeds, or the music, or simply waiting to catch a glimpse of the who's-who seeking darshan. It depicts pomp."

Divya Bhatia

She contrasts this with quieter celebrations. "In my hometown in Achara, the celebration is different. It feels more personal. We bring home a small idol, with limited, basic floral decor. We keep it meaningful and simple," she explains. Parkar has also created postcards that portray different versions of Bappa.

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