Sat Sep 07 10:38:08 UTC 2024: ## Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations Begin Across India
The 10-day festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, celebrating the Hindu deity Lord Ganesha, has commenced nationwide with festivities starting on September 6th and concluding on September 17th.
Across India, cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Surat, and Delhi are abuzz with celebrations. Devotees are joyfully participating in traditional rituals, decorating their homes with Lord Ganesha idols, observing fasts, preparing special meals, and visiting elaborately decorated pandals.
Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik in Mumbai created a magnificent sand sculpture of Lord Ganesha using 20 types of fruits, while a colossal 500kg laddu was displayed at a sweet shop in Kolkata. Devotees also offered elaborate sweets and lit earthen lamps at temples dedicated to the deity.
In Mumbai, around 15,000 police personnel have been deployed to ensure security during the festival. Lakhs of devotees are expected to visit popular pandals, such as the ‘Lalbaugcha Raja’, during the auspicious occasion.
The festival will culminate on September 17th with the ‘visarjan’ ceremony, where idols of Lord Ganesha are carried in public processions and immersed in the sea. This signifies the end of the festival and the return of the deity to his celestial abode.
First Piper 