The Columbus Ganesh Mandal celebrated its 21st annual Ganesh Chaturthi festival with a week-long cultural extravaganza in America's Columbus, marking a milestone in the city's Indian diaspora calendar. The highlight commenced on Ganesh Chaturthi with an elegant installation of Lord Ganesha, followed by daily cultural performances hosted at The Commons.

The festivities featured devotional bhajans and abhangs delivered by students from the Columbus Indiana Marathi School and Balvikas, as well as local singers. A classical concert by Pt. Aviraj Tayde and a lecture on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by Dr. Charudatt Afale added depth to the celebrations. The atmosphere turned spiritually immersive with rituals such as the Satyanarayan Puja, recitation of Vishnu Sahasranama, and the chanting of Atharvashirsha.

A book chronicling the organization's 21-year journey was released this time. The festival's layout this year was specially designed to mark its 21st anniversary, incorporating elements from the past two decades, which captivated the devotees. Columbus is home to around three thousand Indians.

Dr. Sharvari Kolhatkar-Deshpande, the organization's president, reported that approximately 500 devotees attended daily during the festival. The period from August 15 to September 15 was officially declared 'Omkar - The Ganesh Festival Month' by the mayors of Columbus, acknowledging the festival's cultural significance.

Various competitions were held during the festival, including painting, mehndi, cooking, chess, carrom, antakshari, and readings of Atharvashirsha, Hanuman Chalisa, and Gita chapters. A workshop on making eco-friendly Ganesh idols was also organized. The festival concluded with a grand immersion procession in a traditional palanquin.