Ganesh Chaturthi Images, Lord Ganesha Photos:Ganesh Chaturthiis celebrated with a belief that Lord Ganesha, son of Lord Shiva and Parvati, bestows His blessings on His devotees, on this day. It is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the God of wisdom. Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the fourth day of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada, which falls around August or September. The occasion becomes very lively and enthusiastic with the devotional songs, dances and drum beats being a part of the procession observed by the devotees of Lord Ganesha, as a part of the festivities. Ganesh Chaturthi is the only festival that involves and welcomes the participation of general public.
Ganesh Chaturthi Images [1]
Dhol tasha pathaks during Ganpati procession in Pune. First observed during the Maratha empire set up by Chhatrapati Shivaji in the 16th century, the festival in its present form saw resurgence under Bal Gangadhar Tilak as a rallying ground for people beyond caste and class lines and a means of spreading ideas of nationalism and a sense of unity among the Indian population.
During Ganeshotsav, devotees throng pandals across Mumbai and other cities, and feast on sweets such as modak, which is considered Ganesha’s favourite.To mark the end of the festival, the idols are immersed in water (visarjan) to the chants of Ganpati Bappa Moraya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya
The festival is most commonly associated with the state of Maharashtra, while celebrations also occur widely in Tamil Nadu, Goa and Kerala.The ten day festival is also celebrated by Marathis settled in Delhi with the presence of at least two dozen Ganesh Mandals.
The initial idols were made of mud but over time, Plaster of Paris (POP) became quite common. However the latter pollutes the rivers and clogs water sources and contains harmful levels of mercury and cadmium. With growing awareness, a lot of people are now opting for eco-friendly idols made of easily dissolvable soil, coconut husk, fish friendly foods, and plant seeds.
The must visit pandals include Lalbaugcha Raja which is believed to fulfill wishes and attracts millions of visitors. Goud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) Seva Mandal at King’s Circle which is considered to be one of the richest mandals and known for their gold idols in the past and the Keshavji Naik Chawl pandal in Girgaum, one of the oldest pandals (125-years-old) where none other than Tilak had come as a visitor.
With massive crowds expected to participate in the celebrations, security across the city have been increased with CCTV cameras, use of drones and deployment of anti-terror squads and bomb squads.
Devotees spray water on a statue of Lord Ganesha during immersion ceremony at Ghaggar River in Panchkula, Haryana
Devotees carry statues of Lord Ganesha for immersion at Ghaggar River in Panchkula, Haryana
A girl carry statues of Lord Ganesha for immersion at Ghaggar River in Panchkula on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR
A family in Pune carried a Lord Ganesha idol on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi
In Nagpur, devotees participated in a procession
An eco-friendly statue of Lord Ganesha was part of the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations
Police officers from Ghatkopar police station transported a Lord Ganesha idol
In Jaipur, devotees offered prayers at Moti Dungri Ganesh Temple
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