Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/124



WHILE the Social Reformers were remarrying widows and breaking castes with the ultimate object of making the people fit for political rights, Mr. Tilak was labouriouly striving to infuse vigour into the public mind by his passionate appeals to the great traditions of our History, Religion and Society. He inaugurated the Ganapati and the Shivaji festivals, which in spite of the bitter attacks of Moderates and the hostile attitude of the Government have now come to form a permanent feature of the social life of Maharashtra. These festivals deserve to be recorded as Mr. Tilak 's memorable contributions to our public life.

The Ganapati festival, started in 1893 appealed to the religious instincts of the masses and to the religious and patriotic instincts of the educated people in Maharashtra. It has now taken a permanent place in the social life of the people and affords annually a common platform to the masses and the classes. It supplies healthy intellectual food to the ignorant masses. It