Ganesh Chaturthi Festival: India Welcomes Bappa!

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival to celebrate the birth of beloved Hindu God Lord Ganesh, God of wisdom, prosperity and success. The festival is celebrated all over India for ten days. It is believed that Lord Ganesh removes obstacles and brings good fortune.

People bring home clay models of the Lord at home, beautifully crafted in various poses. The artisans start making statues two-three months before the festival begins. The statues range from 3,4 feet to as tall as 25 feet. Local communities also put up podiums and install impressive and huge Ganesh statues.

Ganesh Aarti is performed twice a day for ten days with a lot of devotion and reverence. Ganesh loves Modak and banana and the same are offered to Him during the puja. On the last day of the festival, Anant Chaturdashi, the procession of statues with music and dancing is taken out. The statue of the Lord is finally immersed in the ocean or other water bodies.

The festival was originated in Maharashtra more than 125 years ago. Although it is not clear who started the festival (Sardar KrishnajiKhasgiwale, freedom fighter BhausahebRangari or freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak). But the main purpose to celebrate the festival was to bring people of different caste and classes together, against British rule.

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