Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival honouring Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity widely worshipped as the remover of obstacles and the lord of beginnings. Many people pray to Ganesha before starting something new.
The celebration
- Images of Ganesha are installed in homes and public pavilions.
- Worship, songs and sweets, especially modak, are offered over several days.
- At the end, the images are carried in procession and immersed in water.
Caring for the environment
Many communities now choose clay images and natural colours so the immersion is kinder to rivers and seas.
The festival usually falls in August or September; dates follow the lunar calendar.
