Bhakti Chalak

Ganesha idol stalls have sprung up across Maharashtra, markets are glowing with lights and decorations, and grand pandals are taking shape on streets and neighbourhoods. The rhythmic beats of dhol-tasha rehearsals have added to the festive atmosphere.

Amid preparations for the 10-day Ganeshotsav, beginning on September 14, a volunteer in a white skullcap –suggestive of his religion -- is drawing attention.

Videos of Mumbai-based digital creator Mohsin Qureshi decorating a Ganpati pandal with colourful flags and going door-to-door collecting donations have gone viral on social media. In the videos, Mohsin can be seen enthusiastically preparing for the arrival of Bappa.

But this is not merely content for social media. In real life, Mohsin is a dedicated volunteer at a Ganpati Mandal.

Awaz-The-Voice spoke to Mohsin about his association with the festival, his childhood memories and his efforts to promote communal harmony through social media.

Mohsin was raised in the Chandivali MHADA area of Andheri East, Mumbai, in a BEST employees' colony.

Recalling his childhood memories of Ganeshotsav, he says, "There were four buildings in our BEST quarters. In those days, there used to be just one common Ganeshotsav pandal for all four buildings. The most special thing was that the pandal used to be set up right in the compound of our building."

"The preparations for Bappa's arrival, staying awake all night for the decorations, the echoing sounds of the Aarti, and the Mahaprasad later... my entire childhood passed in this very atmosphere. Inside my house, there were recitations of the Quran, and outside in the lane, the tunes of Bappa's Aartis would echo. I grew up experiencing both cultures together."

Although Mohsin attended an English-medium school, the atmosphere in the colony was distinctly Maharashtrian. Most of his friends were Marathi-speaking, and despite being born into a Muslim family, he grew up learning to participate in and respect festivals celebrated by people of different faiths.

His closest childhood friends, Sachin Damodar and Saurabh Patil, have remained an important part of his life.

"My very first and closest friend, Sachin Damodar, is a Neo-Buddhist. My other friend, Saurabh Patil, is a Hindu Maratha. Our group is a unique 'Triveni Sangam' of a Buddhist, a Muslim, and a Hindu. Since childhood, we have happily celebrated each other's festivals," Mohsin says.

The three friends also frequently discuss social issues. Mohsin recalls one lesson in particular that stayed with him.

"Be it Eid, Diwali, or Ganeshotsav, we should participate in every festival with equal enthusiasm as festivals connect people. This teaching was given to me by Sachin. Today, all three of us walk on this very path," he says.

From Ganpati Pandal to Lalbaug

Having experienced Ganeshotsav at the pandal in his neighbourhood, Mohsin was curious to witness the grandeur of Mumbai's famous public celebrations.

At the insistence of his friends, he visited the Lalbaug and Parel areas for the first time during Ganeshotsav. The scale of the celebrations and the massive crowds left a lasting impression on him.

On the day of immersion, Mohsin and his friends reached Girgaon Chowpatty hours in advance to witness the Visarjan Aarti of Lalbaugcha Raja.

"When I roamed the Lalbaug area for the first time, I was stunned to see that crowd and that enthusiasm. For a non-Hindu boy, such an experience was extremely different," he recalls.

He adds, "Lakhs of people would stand in queues there for Bappa's darshan. Even after going twice, I couldn't get a direct darshan of Lalbaugcha Raja, but the various tableaus (dekhawe) won my heart. On the day of the Visarjan procession, we went and stood at Girgaon Chowpatty two to three hours early just to watch the Visarjan Aarti at 5 AM. From industrialist Ambani's son to the common man, everyone was standing there together. I can never forget that moment."

From Instagram Videos to a Full-Time Career

Mohsin began making videos for Instagram while he was in Class 11. His content soon gained traction, and his Instagram following crossed 10,000.

Encouraged by the response, he decided to pursue digital content creation as a full-time career. Today, he has lakhs of followers on Instagram and more than 30,000 subscribers on YouTube.

While Mohsin creates light-hearted and entertaining content, his videos on social issues have particularly resonated with audiences. His use of the Dakhni dialect gives his videos a distinctive and relatable character.

As he became more observant of his surroundings, Mohsin noticed something that was rarely reflected in the popular narrative around Ganeshotsav: Muslim youths actively participating in Ganpati Mandals.

He had seen Muslim youngsters helping their Mandals with everything from collecting donations to bringing Naivedya from their homes.

This experience inspired his popular reel series, 'When Muslims Celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi'.

Explaining how the idea took shape, Mohsin says, "My first video was titled 'Non-Maharashtrian Speaks Marathi'. That video garnered views in the millions; people loved it a lot. My Marathi language is not entirely fluent or perfect. But being a Maharashtrian, I speak Marathi with pride."

He continues, "Following the response to this video, I decided to make videos on Ganeshotsav. During the Ganeshotsav period, there is always some Muslim boy in every Mandal who supports his Mandal with all his heart. I have experienced all this myself. That is why I created this reel concept. People loved it a lot and started tagging their Muslim friends in it."

A Mother's Advice

Mohsin says his family has always supported his work. When he began making videos, his mother was the first person he showed them to.

"When I started making videos, I showed them to Ammi first. Ammi told me just one thing: 'You are doing good work by showing unity among people, this is very nice. Just be careful that your words or your videos do not disrespect any caste, religion, or sect,'" he recalls.

That advice has remained central to his approach to content creation.

For Mohsin, his work at the Mandal is equally rooted in friendship and community.

"The volunteers in our Mandal are my childhood friends. No one is big or small there. Who is a Hindu, who is a Muslim, and who is a Neo-Buddhist... none of this makes a difference to anyone. Our only effort is that every citizen who comes to the Mandal should return with happiness and satisfaction," he says.

In an era when social media can often amplify divisions, Mohsin is using the same platform to highlight shared traditions, friendships and everyday examples of communal harmony.

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Wearing his white skullcap as he helps prepare for Bappa's arrival, Mohsin's message is simple: festivals can bring people together—and social media can help spread that message far beyond the neighbourhood where it begins.