Ganeshotsav 2025: Children Turn Pandals Into Living Classrooms

Every year, when Ganpati Bappa arrives, neighbourhood pandals come alive with colour, lights, and chants. But if you look closely, it’s the children, running around with sparkles in their eyes, carefully placing flowers, and rehearsing skits, who breathe the most joy into these celebrations. In many societies, they are not just participants but changemakers, learning life lessons while keeping traditions alive.

Living classrooms

Educationists believe festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi extend far beyond rituals. They serve as immersive classrooms where children pick up skills no textbook can teach.

“Children are at the heart of community celebrations, and this is beautifully evident in society Ganpati pandals,” says Devyani Mungali, Director & Founder of Sanskriti Group of Schools. “When they take part in decorating the pandal or crafting eco-friendly idols, they develop artistic expression, fine motor skills, and a strong sense of environmental responsibility.”

Studies on child development show that experiential learning, through hands-on activities, improves problem-solving ability and emotional resilience. In this sense, a child holding a paintbrush at a pandal isn’t just decorating; they are engaging in an act of cultural education.

Confidence building

From skits and bhajans to speeches about Bappa, societies increasingly encourage children to step into the spotlight. For many, this becomes their first stage.

“Such activities enhance their communication skills, stage confidence, and ability to work as a team,” says Devyani. Even volunteering to distribute prasad or maintain cleanliness teaches leadership and empathy, qualities that stay long after the festival.

Research by the National Institute of Child Health (2022) suggests that children involved in cultural festivals are 35% more likely to show higher social awareness and teamwork skills compared to those with minimal participation. Pandals, then, are not just places of worship but crucibles of social learning.

Real sparkle

While lights, music, and grand idols set the stage, parents often say it’s the children who truly animate the festival.

“The pandals may be lit with grand idols, vibrant lights, and rich decorations, but it is the children who add the real sparkle,” says Archana Khosla Burman, Founder of Vertices Partners. “A little girl distributing prasad discovers kindness. A boy ensuring waste is segregated learns responsibility. These lessons engrave themselves deep into a child’s subconscious, shaping character and values that last a lifetime.”

Children also remind adults of the festival’s essence: joy, togetherness, and simplicity. In many housing societies, children brainstorm themes such as climate change or animal welfare, bringing creativity and relevance to the celebrations.

Through young eyes

For the children themselves, Ganeshotsav is often the highlight of the year.

Kashvi Kapur, 16, from Delhi, shares: “My nine-year-old brother and I are always excited about welcoming Ganpati Bappa in our society. I assist with the decoration of pandals, the preparation of dance performances, and ensuring everything is arranged properly. At the same time, my little one is excited about modaks and his dance performances. We love Bappa. Excited for this year.”

In Mumbai, 14-year-old Raghav Kapoor finds joy in performance. “I love acting, and this year I am going to do a skit on Bappa with my friends. We also upload it to our YouTube channel,” he says proudly.

Seerat Ohri, 18, Delhi, shares, “I love preparing modaks at home, and every year I make sure that modaks made by me are used in our society's Ganeshotsav. This year is special as I am starting college this year. I will tell my new friends about my modaks and invite them to the festivities as well.”

These small acts of participation nurture a sense of belonging that carries into adulthood.

Lessons in civic responsibility

Experts note that children often act as silent ambassadors for eco-friendly practices.

“At Ganesh Chaturthi, children in Ganpati pandals do not remain passive observers; they transform into devoted apprentices enrolled in an open-air civic education,” says Mamta Shekhawat, Founder of Gradding.com. “Their curiosity, asking why idols are immersed, why resources are pooled, or why each sound of the drum matters, keeps customs dynamic and relevant.”

A 2023 survey by an eco-festival collective in Maharashtra found that more than 60% of eco-friendly initiatives in housing societies, such as clay idols, waste segregation, or no-plastic zones, were introduced at the insistence of children. Their voices often inspire adults to adopt greener practices.

Heartbeat of the festival

Children may have small hands, but within the life of a pandal, they are irreplaceable. They remind us that festivals are not just rituals but opportunities to nurture creativity, confidence, and compassion.

As Archana Burman beautifully sums it up: “Ganpati festival is not just about idols, bright lights, or cultural performances; it is about the laughter, honesty, and creativity of children. They are not the audience, they are the creators, the showstoppers, and the energy behind the celebrations.”

This Ganeshotsav, as communities gather around Bappa, it may well be the wide-eyed wonder of children that keeps the festival glowing brighter than any LED light.