(August 27, 2025) Eleven years ago, with guidance from priests sent by Mumbai’s Siddhivinayak Temple Trust, the Indian National Cultural Centre “SITA” in Moscow hosted its first public Ganesh Utsav. Starting as a small devotional gathering of families, the festival has steadily grown into a celebration that now draws a large community of Indian devotees along with Russian well-wishers. At its heart is the eco-friendly idol of Lord Ganesha, brought all the way from India to Moscow.
“What started as a small community gathering has now grown into one of the most anticipated cultural festivals for the Indian diaspora in Russia,” Sammy Kotwani, president of SITA and chief organizer tells Global Indian. “Over the years, it has evolved beautifully from being a purely devotional event to becoming a grand celebration of Indian culture, spirituality, and community spirit in a foreign land,” he says adding “Our Russian friends are an integral part of our celebration. Their adoration, fascination, and appreciation for Indian traditions are truly very endearing.”
From August 27 to 31, 2025, Kuusinena Street which is a neighbourhood better known for its Soviet-era apartment blocks and proximity to Dinamo stadium is once again changing character. Inside the decorated hall of one of the complexes in the street, the 11th Ganesh Utsav begins. For five days, incense, music, and the chant of “Ganpati Bappa Morya!” will make the cultural centre the beating heart of both the diaspora and their Russian friends. As one of Moscow’s best-loved Indian festivals, it has earned the affectionate nickname “Moscow ka Raja,” echoing the Indian tradition of honouring celebrated community idols as the ‘Raja’ of their locality.
Across India, across the world
Ganesh Chaturthi may be most visible in Maharashtra, but it is celebrated across India, from Gujarat to Karnataka, Odisha to Andhra Pradesh with equal fervour. And as Indians have migrated, the festival has traveled too, finding space in different corners of the world.
Moscow is one of those outposts. Its diaspora is smaller compared to the USA or UK , but tightly knit. “Each year, the number of devotees and visitors has steadily increased,” says Kotwani.
Clay Idols from India, with sustainability in focus
This year, the festival takes a decisive step forward. For the first time, all seven idols installed at SITA will be made of eco-friendly shadu mati, handcrafted by Indian artisans and painted with natural, non-toxic colours.
“We install seven Ganesh idols during the festival, and all of them are indeed brought from India,” Kotwani explains. “The idols are hundred percent eco-friendly, meaning the clay dissolves easily in water and the paints are non-toxic. We wanted to ensure the celebration is environmentally conscious, so after the festival, when we immerse the idols in water, they dissolve without harming the ecosystem. Shipping them from India also adds an authentic touch of home. They are made by skilled artisans back in India, which makes the celebration here in Moscow feel connected to our roots,” he adds.
Visarjan in Moscow style
The finale on August 31 is unique. Lord Ganesha, carried in a limousine procession through Moscow’s wide boulevards, will pass Stalinist towers and modern glass offices before arriving at the Moscow River. There, in a high-spirited immersion ceremony, the idols will be taken by boat for a symbolic visarjan.
For Moscow’s diaspora, this blend of part Moscow pageant, part Indian farewell has become the festival’s most iconic image. The clay dissolves into the water, leaving behind the memory of devotion carried across continents.
Faith and festivity interwoven
“Over five days, morning and evening aartis provide the spiritual rhythm, but evenings are devoted to celebration. This year brings musical nights with acclaimed bhajan singer Raviraj Nasery travelling all the way from India, Garba and Dandiya dances where Russians and Indians join hands.
Outside, the venue is alive with the aromas of samosas, fragrant curries, steaming cups of masala chai, and mango lassis. For a few days, Moscow’s Kuusinena Street becomes an unlikely outpost of Indian festivity.
The diaspora in Moscow
Indians have lived in Moscow for decades. Some arrived in the Soviet era for trade or education, others more recently as professionals, entrepreneurs, or students. They are doctors, engineers, restaurateurs, and traders. While modest in number compared to other diasporas, they remain deeply connected. Festivals like Ganesh Utsav allow them to step into public life with cultural confidence.
“It’s a matter of pride for our community to see how Lord Ganesha has united people of different backgrounds here,” Kotwani says. “For us, it is not only about worship but also about carrying forward Indian traditions, spreading positivity, and sharing the values of harmony and togetherness.”
Russians in the celebration
What makes Moscow’s Ganesh Utsav distinctive is the wholehearted participation of Russians. They clap along to bhajan recitals, cheer Bollywood dances, and join Garba circles with infectious joy. Food stalls bustle with Muscovites sampling Indian delicacies, and some even sing Hindi film songs on stage.
Sammy Kotwani mentions that Russian friends have become an inseparable part of the festivities. He finds their affection and genuine curiosity for Indian traditions deeply touching.
This embrace builds on a long history: Soviet love for Raj Kapoor films, the enduring popularity of yoga, and a fascination with Indian culture that persists today. Ganesh Utsav extends that connection, becoming a “bridge of friendship” linking two nations.
A people’s festival
The festival’s strength lies in its collective character. “The Ganesh Utsav celebrations in Moscow are a community-funded effort,” Kotwani explains. “It’s a Sarvajanik event which is essentially a public, community festival. Hence everyone contributes in some way. We don’t rely on any single sponsor; instead, Indian families, local businesses, and devotees all chip in with donations and resources. Whether it’s money, materials, or volunteer time, the entire community helps make it happen. This collective spirit is what makes the festival so special – it’s by the people, for the people,” says Kotwani.
In 1893, Bal Gangadhar Tilak transformed Ganesh Chaturthi into a public celebration, turning devotion into a force for unity during the colonial rule. That ethos, born in India, now echoes across the world, from London and New York to Moscow, where diasporic communities gather around Lord Ganesha. In Russia, Kotwani, entrepreneur and president of the Indian Business Alliance, carried the tradition from his home to the public sphere, helping the National Cultural Centre “SITA” host its festival.
Moscow ka Raja reigns
As the festival opens, the Kuusinena Street in Moscow takes a more spirited air. By the time the clay idols dissolve into the Moscow River after five days of festivities, they will leave behind more than rituals. They will leave memories of Indians and Russians queuing for samosas, children learning prayers, and a limousine carrying Lord Ganesha past Moscow’s boulevards.
Born of diaspora persistence and Russian warmth. “Moscow ka Raja” is not remarkable simply because it exists abroad, but because it makes the ordinary extraordinary: devotion unfolding in an unlikely place, until it feels like home.
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