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By:

Ruddhi Phadke

22 September 2024 at 10:17:54 am

Gudhi Padwa draws world to Girgaum

Mumbai: It was the 24 th  celebration of Gudhi Padwa in Girgaum on Thursday, and as usual, the festivities were grand, picturesque and saw humongous response not just from the local residents. This year, the celebration saw huge participation of enthusiasts from beyond the borders. While some coincidentally bumped into the event, some others actually typed ‘Gudhi Padwa 2026 schedule’ in their google search bar to ensure they did not miss this ‘must do’ event while planning their holiday...

Gudhi Padwa draws world to Girgaum

Mumbai: It was the 24 th  celebration of Gudhi Padwa in Girgaum on Thursday, and as usual, the festivities were grand, picturesque and saw humongous response not just from the local residents. This year, the celebration saw huge participation of enthusiasts from beyond the borders. While some coincidentally bumped into the event, some others actually typed ‘Gudhi Padwa 2026 schedule’ in their google search bar to ensure they did not miss this ‘must do’ event while planning their holiday travel in India. It is indeed a big moment for a Mumbaikar to know that an international traveler has Girgaon listed as one of the ‘must do’ destinations for an India trip in their diary; Gudhi Padwa being the cause is even more interesting. Tana, who lives in the Netherlands embarked on a long duration trip to India earlier this month, visited Mumbai specifically to enjoy the festivities. She told ‘The Perfect Voice’ , “I came here to celebrate Gudhi Padwa with you. I am here to experience everything that I see, all the beautiful outfits, beautiful people. I did a lot of research. I knew that today is the day New Year is celebrated in Maharashtra. I am a tourist. I am alone. I am indulging in everything here from food, festivals, dresses. I adore India. I actually typed Gudhi Padwa in the search bar to ensure I did not miss this must-do event during my trip to India.” Shivani Dopavkar, a Hula Hoop artist who is a regular and active participant had made an interesting statement when she had spoken to ‘The Perfect Voice’  during last year’s Shobha Yaatra. She had said, “I quit my IT profession to take up Hula Hoop as my full-time art. I wish to take Girgaum to a level where it is recognised globally. I have chosen Hula Hoop to accomplish this dream for which Gudhi Padwa Shobha Yatra is a perfect platform.” The dream doesn’t seem to be far from success as a lot of foreign participants dressed up in traditional Indian attire were seen enjoying the activities Annie, from Berlin who came to India as a tourist co-incidentally got introduced to the festivities. “It is really colourful. I have come from Berlin with my Indian friend. German culture is very different. Everything is colourful and vibrant here. The women on the bikes, the flowers, everything that we see around is very eventful,” said Annie. Early Preparations Girgaum woke up to busy preparations right from six am, as participants and volunteers geared up for the day ahead. The action began at around nine am, with people from different walks of life wounding their happiness around different themes from Hindu mythology to ancient Marathi traditions. From Children to elderly, to differently abled individuals, all enthusiastically navigated through densely crowded tiny lanes that whole-heartedly accommodated hundreds of visitors. Kamini Darji, a Gujarathi speaking Girgaum resident was present in the middle of the action with her differently abled son. Darji said, “I get my son every year to witness the festivities. The environment gives a very united and positive vibe. We never miss the event.” From Lejhim to Dhol Tasha Pathak, from bike borne Navvari saree clad women to Hula hoop artists; from live bhajan singing to Mardani Khel to children dressed up based on different themes from Chandrayaan to ‘Vithoba-Rakhmai’; the celebration gave a perfect introduction of India’s cultural wealth to all the international visitors. Jennifer from Germany who participated in Mardani Khel wearing a traditional nine-yard saree said, “We play Mardani khel every year for Gudhi Padwa. I have been to Maharashtra many times. This is the first time that I have come to Mumbai. I learnt this art at Shivaji Raje Mardani Akhada in Pune. I have been visiting India for nine years. Earlier I used to live in Bengaluru.” Vande Mataram Theme While it was a beautiful blend of all the aspects that define India, the cherry on the top was – the ‘Vandya Vande Mataram’ – theme. To commemorate 150 th  anniversary of India’s national song Vande Mataram, most of the Tableaus and art work revolved around patriotic sentiment. While Shobha yatra 2024 was all about Lord Shri Ram and 2025 about pride for Marathi language, the year 2026 was all about freedom struggle and love for India. The most interesting highlight was the 25-foot-tall paper statue of freedom fighter Swatantryaveer Savarkar that was carried past to the thunderous beats of drums filling the air with exuberance. A 31-year-old sculptor Gaurav Pawar made the statue along with his brother Gitesh and other volunteers. Gaurav said, “Last year we made a statue of Dnyaneshwar. This year we got an opportunity to make a statue of Savarkar Ji. We took 10 days to make the statue out of paper and bamboo material. It was completely eco-friendly. We got to learn a lot about Savarkar ji during the process and it was a very very sensitive experience.” The Statue was prepared in Bedekar Sadan which is one of the buildings located in Shantaram Chawl Complex which was the hotbed of freedom movement. The residents unknowingly carry forward the legacy of the enclosed structure, a place where prominent freedom fighters like Lokmanya Tilak, Annie Basant, Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Lala Lajpat Rai used to gather to lead historic movements.

Financial Freedom – India at 78

As India celebrates 78 years of freedom, it’s a perfect time to reflect on another kind of liberation - Financial Freedom.


Just as our nation’s journey towards independence was long and purposeful, the path to personal financial independence requires vision, discipline, and persistence. While the terms financial independence and financial freedom are often used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings that are crucial to understand for long-term stability and security.


Here’s my interpretation in financial parlance:


Financial Independence (FI)

FI is when an individual has the education, skill set, and expertise to earn a monthly income that exceeds their living expenses. This ensures they are not financially dependent on parents, spouse, or children, and can live life on their own terms.


Basically, as long as the person is able to actively work, the expenses are well taken care of. A financially independent person can cover current expenses comfortably while also saving for future goals - buying a house or car, going on vacations, funding children’s education and weddings, and building a retirement corpus.


This is why we increasingly see women taking charge of their well-being, decision-making, and financial security. Because they are ‘FI’, they do not have to necessarily be dependent on their parents or spouse. Money does give a lot of power! Importantly, FI is the stepping stone to achieving Financial Freedom.


Financial Freedom (FF)

While incomes can be temporary, expenses are permanent. Here, income refers to active income - money earned by actively working (devoting time, effort and resources). A financially independent person, as a virtue of consistently saving, investing, and staying invested, can build assets making him financially free.


Financial Freedom is when a person has built enough wealth or income-generating assets to cover their expenses for life, without relying on a job or external support. It’s the stage where your investments pay your bills. Such a person is not dependent on their children to cover after-retirement expenses.


Key examples of such income streams:

·  Mutual Funds: Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP)

·  Stocks: Dividends

·  Bank Fixed Deposits: Interest Income

·  Insurance Pension Plans: Pension Income

·  Real Estate: Rental Income


Achieving financial freedom allows an individual to break free from the need for a regular paycheck, enabling them to pursue passions, travel, start a business, retire early, or devote time to social causes and legacy-building.


Take Help from Financial Advisors

Consult a well-educated, full-time advisor who will guide and handhold you. Remember, it takes years of education, experience, expertise and wisdom to write a prescription - so don’t self-medicate when it comes to money.


To Conclude

As India continues its march towards growth and self-reliance, the concepts of FI and FF have never been more relevant. Both demand careful planning, disciplined saving, and smart investing. The reward? A life of stability, choice, and abundance.


(The writer is a Chartered Accountant and CFA (USA). Financial Advisor.  Views personal. He could be reached on 9833133605.)

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