Sri Venkateshwara University and VIMS launches 12-day Ganpati festival

Meerut: Sri Venkateshwara University and VIMS jointly inaugurated a 12-day Ganpati festival at the university campus on Sunday. The religious and cultural celebrations, which began on Ganesh Chaturthi, will continue till September 25 and conclude with the Ganpati immersion on Anant Chaturdashi.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Venkateshwara Group founder president Sudhir Giri, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Rajiv Tyagi, Dr Madhu Chaturvedi and VIMS Cultural Committee chairperson Dr Supreeti Bhatnagar, along with thousands of students. The idol of Lord Ganesha was brought to the Eco Park-based puja pandal amid drum beats and celebrations and was installed following traditional rituals under the guidance of Acharya Ram Niwas Shastri.

The celebrations continued with a cultural evening during which students performed devotional songs including Deva Shri Ganesh Deva, Ghar Mein Padharo Gajanan Ji, Moriya Re Moriya and Deva O Deva. The performances added to the festive atmosphere on the campus.

Sudhir Giri said worshipping Lord Ganesha symbolised the removal of obstacles, negativity and unrest and brought peace, prosperity and well-being. He added that such celebrations also helped connect young people with Indian culture and traditions.

Dr Rajiv Tyagi said worshipping Lord Ganesha had special significance in educational institutions and encouraged students and teachers to seek inspiration from the deity for success in different spheres of life.

Cultural events lined up

The festival will feature more than a dozen cultural and spiritual programmes. A bhajan evening by Jaipur gharana classical singer and musician Dr Pt Shivdarshan Dubey will be held on September 16, followed by Padma Shri awardee Surendra Sharma’s session on the spiritual significance of the Ganpati festival on September 17. Poet Madhu Chaturvedi, Ojas poet Dr Rahul Awasthi and Dr Chetan Anand will also perform. A special Ganpati band from Nashik, Maharashtra, will be among the attractions.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Krishna Kant Dave, Finance Director Yuvraj Singh, Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Manas Ranjan, Registrar Dr Piyush Kumar Pandey, Dean MH Prabhu, Dr Shirish Patil, Dr Rohan Suraina, Dr Pranav Thakare, Mihir Dhavel, Sankalp Jain, SS Baghel, chief organiser Dr Aniket Pant, Dr Vedant Gaghre, Dr Abhishek Katiyar, Dr Aina Mathur, Dr Pankaj Singh and media in-charge Vishwas Rana were among those present.