Huge crowds of devotees gathered across India this month to celebrate the Hindu festival Ganesh Chaturthi, marking the birth of the deity Ganesha, the elephant-headed, round-bellied god of prosperity and wisdom.
The 10-day festivities saw worshipers hoist elaborately painted clay idols of Ganesha towards the sky and submerge them in water as part of the traditions associated with one of India’s most vibrant and beloved festivals, celebrated by Hindus worldwide. In India’s western Maharashtra state, which includes Mumbai, the home of Bollywood, the streets came alive as devotees danced to blaring drums and under clouds of colored powder filling the air.
Ganesh Chaturthi falls each year in late summer, during the Bhadra month in the Hindu calendar, and marks a celebratory time of year when families gather. It began this year on September 7 and concluded on Tuesday. It began with worshippers placing idols of Ganesha, anointed with red sandalwood paste and yellow and red flowers, on raised platforms in their homes and in outdoor public spaces. Devotees then perform special prayers and chant hymns as part of the rituals seeking his blessings.
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