By the grace of Shri Ganesha, in a mill town like Parel, the “Parel Vibhag Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, Nare Park — Parel Cha Raja”, run by ordinary mill workers, celebrates its 80th year. To have kept the institution running with its head held high for seventy-nine years, and to have kept up its standing, is no small thing. In today’s competitive age it matters all the more that our mandal is run co-operatively. Keeping this work going, all of us workers are committed to carrying the mandal towards its centenary.
The mandal began the Ganpati festival in 1947. All the Ganesh workers came together on the Nare Park ground, and from that gathering this mandal grew into a banyan tree. Workers past and present have all done invaluable work in it. Sadly some of them are no longer with us, and we feel that loss. As the mandal faced many difficulties and financial crises on its way to the golden jubilee year, it had the priceless support of many devoted members and committee members. The workers who come after us must never forget that work.
An institution stops for no one. It grows as workers join it, and every new worker adds years to its life.
As we moved towards the twenty-first century — an age of competition — a great many sporting and academic contests were held. Alongside them, everyone who achieved distinction in education or in sport was honoured at a felicitation ceremony. In doing all this, no practical economy was ever placed before the members.
Today we say with pride that, by the agreement of educated and knowledgeable workers, our mandal stands registered with the government. For that, every member should take up the work with greater affection. The mandal is no longer limited to the Ganpati festival alone; it must take in work of many kinds — social, educational and sporting.
To carry the mandal to its centenary, every member must set to work with vigour. For when we celebrate a birthday, we are marking one day less of our own life. Our years grow fewer — but an institution stops for no one. Every member should remember this: being born human, the debt we owe for it is service to society, and it is fitting that such service be given through the institution. We are all sensible members, and today we have five thousand donors and advertisers. Yet to this day not one complaint has been made against the mandal’s committee.
To all the well-wishers, workers and members who over these seventy-three years have carried the mandal into its seventy-fourth, we offer our public thanks. And as we reach towards the centenary year, we ask only one thing at the feet of Shri Ganaraya: may he grant good sense to every worker of this mandal, and may this mandal be blessed with unbroken unity. With that prayer we close what we have to say.