The first Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav started in 1892. A Pune resident, Krishnajipant, visited Maratha-ruled Gwalior. He witnessed the traditional public celebration of Ganpati. One of his friends Bhausaheb Laxman Javale Rangari was inspired by this. He installed the first ‘sarvajanik’ or public Ganesha idol in his ‘wada.’ It is an area called Shalukar Bol in Pune. The deity was made of wood & bran. The Ganesha deity was in warrior style, an inspiration for the freedom struggle.
Tilak praised his efforts in his newspaper Kesari in 1893. Tilak then organized a Ganeshotsav in the news publication’s office in 1894 as a symbol of national unity. Thanks to Rangari and Tilak, the Ganeshotsav eventually became a nationwide festival of unity.
The picture is the residence of Bhausaheb Rangari, Credit Vikrant Kaulwar.
Source: https://thebetterindia.com/261898/indias-oldest-ganeshotsav-was-set-up-by-a-freedom-fighter-in-1892

The industrial town of Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune city is home to the mandir of ‘Morya Gosavi.’ He was a 13th century CE saint. He was born in Morgaon, 50 km from Pune. Morya Gosavi was named after the Ganapati (Lord Moreshwar) of Morgaon. It is one of the most sacred Ashtavinayak temples (group of eight revered Ganapati temples around Pune).
Morya Gosavi settled in Chinchwad after he received a divine revelation of Ganesha. According to one version, he had grown old and was finding it difficult to travel to Morgaon. Lord Ganesha appeared to him and told him to build a temple at Chinchwad itself. For centuries, pilgrims visiting this mandir have been chanting “Ganapati Bappa Morya!” as a mark of respect for the saint. Over time, the chant was incorporated into popular culture.
Picture is the Morgaon temple, Credit Wikimedia
Source: https://www.peepultree.world/livehistoryindia/story/people/morya-gosavi

This painting is by Jamini Roy

Bengalis & others believe that Durga Puja is the time when Goddess Durga arrives from her bridal home in Mount Kailash to her parental home on earth. She arrives with her children in tow—Ganesha, Kartikeya, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. Even though Durga is worshipped in her demon-slaying pose, she is seen flanked by her children. The goddess and her children are depicted along with their vahanas. Many rites and rituals take place during the five days of the actual Puja, extending from Sosthi (the sixth day of Navaratri) to Dashami (the tenth day, Vijayadashami or Dussehra).
A popular Bengali poem summarises this beautifully,

Ganesh Thakur is greedy
He comes once with his mom
And then again, he comes all alone.

গণেশ ঠাকুর হ্যাংলা
একবার আসে মায়ের সাথে
একবার আসে একলা।

Ganesh Thakur Hangla
Ekbar ashe mayer sathe
Ekbar ashe ekla
Picture is a sandstone Ganapati from 10th Century, Credit Shakunthala Jagannathan
Source: https://www.outlooktraveller.com/experiences/heritage/popular-rituals-of-durga-puja

Lalbaugcha Raja is the star of Ganapati festival in Mumbai. He is the last deity to be immersed in the sea on the Visarjan day. The immersion often happens at dawn of next day. People wait all night to see the Visarjan.
The King of Lalbaug is also popularly called Navasacha Ganpati or wish-fulfilling Ganesha. The large crowd of devotees can join a special line called Navasacha line. They can climb up the stage and touch the feet of Ganesha and seek his blessings. However, the line is long and can take more than 20 hours at times. From the normal line, people can only take Darshan from far and cannot touch the feet of Ganesha.
The Pandal is believed to an expression of gratitude by fishermen and textile mill workers who went through rough times in the 1930. The community was granted a plot of land for livelihood. The people believe that the blessings of Ganesha helped them survive tough times. To pay their respects to Ganesha, they decided to earmark a portion of the land for annual Ganpati celebration. This is in popular writing but there is no authentic reference for this story.
Picture is the iconic Lalbagcha Raja. Credit – Award winning photographer Salonee Jain

Samarth Ramdas (1608-81) was one of the most influential in the ‘sant parampara’ (tradition of saints) of Maharashtra. He is said to have inspired Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He wrote this most popular bhajan. The first two lines say,
Sukhkarta Dukhharta Varta Vighnachi ||
Nurvi Purvi Prem Krupa Jayachi ||
“Oh Lord who provides Joy, takes away Sadness and removes all “vighnas” (obstacles) in life.
Who spreads love everywhere as his blessing.”
Towards the end, the devotee implores, “Sankati Pavave Nirvani Rakshave Survarvandana ||
Please help us and protect us during bad times, my Salutations to lord.”
It has a familiar chant that repeats through the bhajan, “Jai Dev Jai Dev Jai Mangal Murti ||
Hail the Bhagwan, Hail the Bhagwan, Hail the auspicious image”.
Picture is Portrait of Samarth Ramdas from 17th century, Wikimedia
Source: https://kedar.nitty-witty.com/blog/ganapati-aarti-sukhkarta-dukhharta-with-english-translation-free-download-mp3

The Chandogya Upanishad says, “Tat Tvam Asi” i.e. The individual (Tvam) is identical (Asi) to universal consciousness (Tat), or the individual contains the essence of the universe. Tat Tvam Asi is one of the four Mahavakyas of the Upanishads.
The Mudgala Purana describes eight avatars of Ganesha. It also explains Tat Tvam Asi. It equates Ganapati to the mahavakya – He bears the body of a human (likened to Tvam) and the head of an elephant (likened to Tat). He is Himself the unifier of these disparate elements (likened to the copula Asi). The Mudgala Purana describes how the various avatars of Ganesha merge the universal consciousness into divine creation.
Source: Phyllis Granoff, ‘Ganesha as Metaphor: The Mudgala Purana’

Inspired by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, S Shankaraiah started with a one-foot idol at Khairatabad, Hyderabad. Since then, the deity has been growing in size each year. In 2025, it is expected to be 71 feet. The organizing committee has decided to reduce the height to protect the environment. The deity is immersed in the Hussainsagar lake.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/khairatabad-ganesh-growing-in-stature-every-yr-since-1954/articleshowprint/86080903.cms

The Sanskrit Stotram is ancient but anonymous. The first phrase (not the complete shloka) finds mention in works like the Mudgala Purana. It is considered a traditional composition and not attributed to any one author. Over the years, musicians have been incorporating the shloka in their own works. It says,
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ ।निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ॥
Vakra-Tunda Maha-Kaya Surya-Kotti Samaprabha |Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Kaaryesu Sarvadaa ||
Greetings to Lord Ganesha, who has a curved trunk, a big body, and shines as brightly as a million suns. Oh, Divine Lord, please bless my endeavors so they’re obstacle-free, in everything I do, always.
Source: https://stotra.in/translation/en/sri-ganesh/vakratunda-mahakaya

Ganesha is worshipped in Jainism, as a God associated with commerce. Jain depictions of Ganesha are very similar to those of the Hindus. The earliest literary reference to Ganesha in Jainism is in a 12th century CE text. It refers to several appellations of Ganesha such as Heramba, Ganavigneṣa and Vinayaka. It visualizes him as elephant headed, pot-bellied, bearing an axe and riding a mouse.
According to an early 15th cent CE Swetambara Jaina work, Ganapati is propitiated even by the gods to get desirable things. It is further mentioned that He is worshipped at the beginning of every auspicious ceremony and new project. This practice is still very common in the Swetambara community. The Digambar Jains have less connection to Ganesha.
The earliest known Jaina Ganesha deity is from 9th century CE. It was found at Mathura and is shown with Yakshi Ambika(the Jain name for Gauri). Images of Ganesha appear in the Jaina temples of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Some examples are Mahavir at Ghanerav (10th Century CE) , Osian (11th Century CE) and Dilwara temples of Mount Abu(11th -16th cent CE).
Source: Maruti Nandan Tiwari & Kamal Giri, ‘Images of Ganesa in Jainism’

Muttuswami Dikshitar was one of The Trinity or Three Jewels of Carnatic music from the 18th cent. His ‘Sodasa Ganapati Kritis’ are dedicated to the 16 Ganapati deities in and around the magnificent temple in his birthplace Tiruvarur in Tamil Nadu. One of the 16 kritis praises the Vatapi Ganapati.
Legends suggest that he sang this in praise of the deity that was brought there by Pallavas from Vatapi (Badami) after they defeated Chalukyas in the 7th cent CE. But historians are not sure, and many suggest that it is actually a Chola contribution from late 10th cent CE. Further, the song was actually sung in praise of another similar deity in the same location.
Whatever the history, the composition itself is magnificent. The first few lines read, “I praise the Ganapati from Vatapi. The elephant faced giver of boons. Whose feet are worshipped by bhutas and others. The support of the universe of living beings & spirits. Devoid of passion, to whom yogis bow. Creator of the world, Averter of obstacles. Worshipped by the sage of old, born of pot (Agastya).”
Source: Amy Catlin, ‘Vatapi Ganapatim’

Vishnu Sahasranama is in the Anushasan Parva from the Mahabharata. Bhisma from his bed of arrows instructs Yudhishtira. When asked which is the best possible stotram, he describes one thousand aspects of Vishnu.
The first verse of the preliminary part reads,
शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम् । प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ॥
Shuklambaradharam Vishnum Sashivarnam Chaturbhujam; Prasannavadanam dhyayet sarvavighnopashantaye.
Dressed in white you are, Oh, all pervading one, And glowing with the colour of moon. With four arms, you are, the all knowing one I meditate on your ever-smiling face, And pray, “Remove all obstacles on my way.”
Due to the reference to the removal of obstacles in the beginning, many interpret it as an invocation to Ganesha. Historians though suggest that Ganesha worship as we know today started in the Gupta period, likely after the composition of the Mahabharata. In some versions of Vishnu Sahasranamam a second verse has been added which explicitly invokes Ganesha.
Shuklambharadaram is part of later Stotras too, such as Lalita Sahasranamam on Devi.
Source: https://hindupedia.com/en/Vishnu_Sahasranamam

Lord Jagannath of Puri is dressed up in many veshas (costumes) throughout the year. One of the most interesting is the Hathi Vesha. This is observed on the full moon day of Snan Purnima. The deities of Puri are given a cold water bath called Snan Purnima. They are then dressed as Ganesha. Thereafter they are considered to catch a cold and are kept in seclusion for 15 days to recover. The deities are ready for the rath yatra after recovering from illness.
There is a legend behind this Vesha. Ganapati Bhatta a great devotee of Lord Ganesha from south India came to Puri to see the Lord on Snan Purnima. However, he could not see Ganesha. He was disappointed. But Jagannath knew the heart of His devotee and manifested Himself in the form of Ganesha. Hathi Vesha marks this event. It is believed to have started during the era of the last Ganga dynast King Bhanu Dev, in early 15th Century AD.
Source: Mahimohan Tripathy, Shri Jagannatha
Picture: Hati Besha from Shri Jagannatha by Mahimohan Tripathy