Tittle - Ganadhisha Mumbaicha: The 77-Year Tradition That Turns Kamathipura Into Akhand Bharat.

Kamathipura is often spoken about for its infamous past, but very rarely for the people who have lived there for generations. Beyond the stigma, it is also a neighbourhood that represents a small version of India, with people from different religions, cultures and communities living together.

At the heart of this is the 77-year-old Aadhishakti Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav va Navratrotsav Mitra Mandal. Its Ganapati is known as “Ganadhisha Mumbaicha”, while its Navratri celebration is known as “Mumbaichi Aadhishakti Bhavani”. For the past 77 years, the mandal has carried forward the idea of Akhand Bharat, celebrating the diversity of Kamathipura through its own people and their shared identity.

The area may often be neglected by society, and the mandal has also faced difficulties in getting sponsorship and support, but the spirit of the celebration has remained unchanged. Ganesh Kosuri, popularly known as Maharaj, has been one of the main pillars of the mandal, while Kallappa Kamble serves as its president.

What makes the mandal different is the participation of people from across the community, including residents, sex workers and members of the transgender community.

This year, filmmaker Dhaval Pitale is also working closely with the mandal to bring its theme to life through a large hand-painted installation created inside the pandal. The artwork explores the conflict between nature, development, the past and the future, while encouraging visitors to think about the direction in which our cities and society are moving.

Dhaval, through his production house Aadhya Films, is also working on a documentary on Kamathipura. The film looks at the area through the larger histories of colonialism and capitalism, while also raising questions around trafficking, violence, sex work, redevelopment and modernisation. It also explores what the future holds for Kamathipura as the neighbourhood continues to change.

He is working on the documentary along with Priyanshi Rathor, associate director and a part of Aadhya Films. Together, they are also involved in AI research, development and AI-generated content, which has helped the mandal build a stronger presence across social media platforms.

For Dhaval, the intention is not only to document Kamathipura as it exists today, but also to leave behind a visual and cultural record that may be useful for future generations, researchers, sociologists and historians.

This year, Ganadhisha Mumbaicha invites people from across Mumbai and beyond to visit Kamathipura, experience the celebration, understand the community beyond its stereotypes, and become a part of a 77-year-old tradition that continues to bring different people together under one roof Called 'Akhand Bharat'.

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 Ganadhisha Mumbaicha : https://www.instagram.com/ganadhishamumbaicha?stkn=dGg5cm00MTg1ZnYw