Why This Community In Hubballi Offers Non-Veg To Lord Ganesha A Day After Ganesh Chaturthi

In a unique tradition dating back centuries, the Savji or Somavamsha Sahasrarjuna Kshatriya or SSK Samaj are a Kshatriya Community in Hubballi, Karnataka, celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi differently from the usual rituals. Known for his love of modaks and other vegetarian sweets, Ganesha is typically offered a variety of pure vegetarian delicacies during the festival. However, the Savji community has preserved a distinctive practice: offering non-vegetarian dishes to the deity the day after Ganesh Chaturthi.

The day after Ganesh Chaturthi, known as "Mouse Day," sees the Savji community replacing the traditional sweets like ladoo and kadubu with a variety of non-veg dishes, which are then offered to Ganesha. The community's belief is rooted in the idea that Ganesha should partake in the same food they consume.

Former Chairman of the Urban Development Authority and community leader Nagesh Kalburgi explains, "We offer what we eat to the deity. If we consume non-veg, why shouldn't the deity enjoy it too?"

Replacing Sweets with Mutton, Fish, and Chicken

On this day, the traditional offerings to Ganesha are replaced with non-vegetarian delicacies such as mutton chops, mutton tikka, chicken curry, fish fry, and even biryani. Kalburgi notes that this custom reflects the community's deep-rooted belief that Ganesha, much like a family member, should be offered the same food they enjoy.

Interestingly, some members of the community also place fish on Ganesha's trunk, symbolically feeding both the deity and his vehicle or vahana, the mouse. The Savji community, which typically abstains from meat during the holy month of Shravan, resumes consuming non-veg the day after Ganesh Chaturthi, considering it a time to honor both Ganesha and his loyal companion, the mouse.

This unique observance has been practiced for hundreds of years. On Mouse Day, families within the community gather, invite relatives, and partake in a grand meal after offering the non-veg dishes to Ganesha. The celebration serves not just as a religious ritual but also as a time for community bonding and shared joy.