Ganesh Chaturthi Brings Maharashtrian Food to Air India Lounges
Air India Brings Maharashtrian Festive Food to Mumbai and Delhi Lounges
Passengers travelling through Air India’s lounges in Mumbai and Delhi can expect a distinctly Maharashtrian menu during this year’s Ganesh Chaturthi, with traditional meals, street food and festive sweets being served as part of an 11-day food programme.
The programme began on 14 September at the Air India (Adani) lounge in Mumbai. The airline has also extended the celebrations to the Delhi International Maharaja Lounge.
The Mumbai menu covers several parts of Maharashtra’s food culture. The lunch and dinner buffet includes Tomato Saar, Mumbai Masala Sandwich, Khamang Kakdi, Veg Kolhapuri, Bharli Vangi, Masale Bhat, Shevgyachi Amti, Malvani Fish Curry, Kombdi Hirwa Masala and Kolhapuri Chicken Biryani.
For passengers looking for lighter food during the day, the lounge is also serving Misal Pav, Sabudana Vada, Kothimbir Wadi, Thecha Paneer Tikka, Rawa Fish Fry, Bread Cutlet and Matar Karanji.
The food selection reflects the wide range of cooking found across Maharashtra. The state’s cuisine includes vegetarian dishes, seafood from the Konkan coast, spicy preparations associated with Kolhapur and popular foods that grew out of Mumbai’s street-food culture. Maharashtra Tourism also lists dishes such as Bharli Vangi, Puran Poli and Modak among the state’s traditional foods.
Ganesh Chaturthi gives particular importance to sweets, especially modak. Maharashtra Tourism describes Ukadiche Modak as a steamed rice-flour preparation filled with coconut and jaggery. Modak is closely associated with offerings made during the festival.
Air India’s festive sweets menu, running for 11 days from 14 September, includes Ukadiche Modak, Puran Poli, Karanji, Mango Kalakand and Dry Fruit Wheat Halwa.
There is also a separate selection of modaks with flavours that move beyond the traditional coconut and jaggery filling. These include Gulkand, Kesar, Orange Chocolate Butterscotch, Sugar-Free Dates & Dry Fruit, Ragi Nutty, Carrot Creamy and Berry Cheesecake.
Puran Poli has a long place in Maharashtrian festive cooking. It is a flatbread filled with a sweet mixture made from lentils and jaggery. Maharashtra Tourism lists it among the state’s traditional festival foods and describes it as a familiar part of celebrations across the region.
The food programme comes during one of Maharashtra’s biggest annual festivals. Ganesh Chaturthi is observed during the Hindu month of Bhadrapada, generally in August or September. The festival is marked by the installation of Ganesha idols in homes and public pandals, daily prayers and aartis, followed by immersion ceremonies. The Maharashtra government’s tourism department also records the role of Lokmanya Tilak, who helped turn Ganesh Chaturthi into a large public festival in 1893.
Food has remained closely tied to the festival. Modaks are commonly prepared as an offering, while families and communities prepare special meals during the celebrations. The food served at Air India’s lounges therefore goes beyond a standard airport meal, giving passengers access to dishes associated with a particular region and festival while they wait for their flights.
The setting is also significant for Air India as the airline continues to develop its airport lounges. In February 2026, Air India opened its first flagship Maharaja Lounge at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. The 16,000-square-foot lounge can accommodate nearly 300 guests and has separate Business Class and First Class areas.
The Delhi lounge is part of Air India’s wider focus on the passenger experience at major airports. Adding regional food to lounge menus gives the airline another way to reflect the places from which many of its passengers are travelling, or the destinations they are visiting.
Mumbai has a particularly strong connection with Ganesh Chaturthi. The city’s annual celebrations involve homes, neighbourhood groups and large public pandals, with food forming part of family gatherings and community events. Air India’s Mumbai lounge is therefore hosting the festival menu in the city where Maharashtrian food and Ganesh Chaturthi are closely linked.
The airline has not disclosed the number of passengers expected to use the festival menu or the cost of the programme. The announcement also does not provide details on how the dishes are prepared, whether all items will be available every day, or whether similar regional food programmes will be introduced at other Air India lounges.
For passengers eligible to use the lounges, the main change is simple: during the 11-day festival period, the food counter will carry a menu built around Maharashtra rather than a regular selection of dishes.
For Air India, the programme also places regional Indian food inside an airport setting used by domestic and international travellers. Guests passing through Mumbai or Delhi can encounter dishes such as Misal Pav, Bharli Vangi, Malvani Fish Curry, Puran Poli and Ukadiche Modak without having to leave the airport.
The Ganesh Chaturthi menu will remain available from 14 September for 11 days, bringing the festival’s food traditions into Air India’s Mumbai and Delhi lounge services during the celebration period.
