GANPATI means more to me than anything else in the world! He is like my father, my elder brother, I go to him with all my problems. I started visiting the Siddhivinayak Temple regularly from about eight years ago, when I started Balaji Telefilms, otherwise I have been a Ganpati bhakt all my life. In fact my father got our family�s first Ganpati when I was born, 28 years ago.

It is a tradition with us to observe Ganeshotsav with a five-day Ganpati. The festival is a most auspicious time for the family. My father, mother and I never leave Mumbai during Ganeshotsav. We do all the pujas, morning and evening, and I even keep a fast during the festival.

It is an easy fast! I eat only fruits and drink milk till the evening. Then I have a meal after the bhog. It is ghar ka khanna. For the ten days of Ganeshotsav, I�m totally a vegetarian. But otherwise too, I try to remain vegetarian, I�m not too fond of non-vegetarian food.

We immerse our Ganpati at Juhu Beach. My father and brother, if he is in town, go to do that. The women from our house don�t go for immersions. We say our farewell at the door after a puja. Apart from Ganpati, I worship several Gods, but am devoted to Balaji and Maa Kali especially.

I wear a necklace that has medallions of several faiths, including an Islamic one, and what�s more, every Ramzan I even keep two of the rozas. The first one and the 27th. But Ganpati is my favourite God.

Tuesdays are special for me because of my visit to Siddhivinayak. I come to the temple, take darshan of the murti, offer my prasad, visit the Hanuman Temple inside the complex and leave. Then I gorge on modaks!

I even bribe the silver mouse in the temple with a modak. He is like Ganpati�s PA! This is a cute belief. I whisper my prayer in the mouse�s ear, then feed him a modak. It is like getting my work done through the boss� secretary!

In many ways Ganpati is like me! We are both fond of food, warm and happy. I can eat everything, but I am fond of modaks like Ganpati is. You should taste the modaks made at home. I cannot make modaks myself, but I can eat 25 at a time!