Neil Nitin Mukesh & The Mukesh Parivar Welcome Lord Ganesha

It’s a subdued  Ganesh Chaturthi this year at  the  legendary singer the  late Mukesh’s residence.Mukesh’s son Neil Nitin Mukesh,  himself an accomplished singer , and Nitin’s  son actor Neil Nitin Mukesh  are keeping the  festivities lowkey this  years.

Says Neil Nitin Mukesh, “Like last year  this year also we’ve got  an eco-friendly Ganesha home. The  festivities  have begun, though we  miss  the  constant  flow of guests this  year . My mother this year has one more helping hand, my daughter Nurvi, who is very excited for the arrival of her favorite Bappa! For us at the Mukesh home , Ganesh Chaturthi is more than a festival . It is a part of our being. This year we celebrate the 27th year of Him coming home. Yes, believe it or not ours has been  an open house for Ganesh Chaturthi  every year for  the  last  27 years  , with friends  well-wishers relatives and  strangers  dropping in  just like that.”

 The pandemic has  changed the  volume of  festivity.

Says  Neil Nitin Mukesh, “As always we are very happy and excited for the celebrations . But like last year this year also we are refraining from the usual scale at which we celebrate. Though we have started getting calls from friends and family who are religious believers and followers of Ganesh ji at our home and want to visit, we will be limiting it to only immediate family and very close friends . Keeping everyone in our heart and prayers and hoping they forgive us. We pray for everyone’s good health and hope to celebrate next year like we always did.” 

Neil Nitin Mukesh’s father   singer  Neil Nitin Mukesh has  mixed feelings  about  Ganesh Chaturthi  this year. “Ganesh Chaturthi is  the most  important  season of  the year for us. The Mukesh parivar looks  forward to this time of the year. We spend the whole year preparing for Lord Bappa  to come  home.A  lot  of the  joy of having Ganesha home is gone because  of the pandemic. We  miss the constant  flow of guests that used to be  a  part  of  the  celebration.”

There  is  one  special  guest whom Neil Nitin Mukesh  misses  the most.  “My friend  my brother Chintu, Rishi Kapoor!  He  was  one  of  the  first to come home to celebrate  with us. In 26 years   of Ganesha Chaturthi  , Chintu didn’t miss  even one  Ganesha Chaturthi. I remember one  year when he was not in town. He  landed in Mumbai  and drove straight  to our  home at the  other end  of Mumbai. When I told him he shouldn’t have gone to  so much trouble, Chintu said, “Ganesh Mahotsava at  your home is my  time of festivity too.  I  wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Now Chintu is  gone. But look at the  coincidence. The pandemic has kept all guests  out.”