“The most significant difference in celebrating Ganeshotsav abroad is that it becomes friends and family event (like thanksgiving) more than a community festival,” says Akanksha Narode, a public policy professional and an AI researcher. As someone who has grown up celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai, in recent years Narode has managed to bring in a slice of the festive joy to her rented apartment in Singapore by hosting a Maharashtrian-style lunch and dinner for her friends abroad. 

“I inundate my foreign friends with stories of extravagant celebrations that happen in Mumbai. I also nudge them to plan a visit to Mumbai during Ganesh Chaturthi to get a first-hand experience of the magical community spirit floating in the air in the maximum city during this time,” she adds.