Ganesha Chaturthi
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The idols of Lord Ganesha are made with plaster of paris and are highly decorated.
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A dance procession by the devotees in the city of Pune.
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A grand procession with drums and songs in Pune.
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All devotees join in to celebrate and participate in the procession carried on during Ganesh Chaturthi.
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It is believed that Ganesha takes away with him the misfortunes of his devotees as he is taken away for the Ganesh Visarjan.
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The whole city, joins in for the procession.
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The decorative idols of Lord Ganesha are erected by people in the form of pandals during this festival. The puja carries on through the night.
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The idol of Ganesha being carried in the procession by a kid.
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The crowd of ppl join in to do the final round of puja to mark the end of this 11days long festival.
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Aarti being taken by everyone and prasaad distributed.
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The final offerings with coconuts, flowers, and camphor is made before the idol is immersed into the sea.
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The idols being immersed in the sea as the crowd shouts 'Ganapathi Bappa Morya, Pudhachya Varshi Laukar ya' (O lord Ganesha, come again speedily next year).
Ganesha Chaturthi (Devanagari: गणेश चतुर्थी), also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is a Hindu festival of Ganesha who was the son of Lord Shiva and Godess Parvati. It is believed that he bestows his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival. The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is the birthday of Ganesha who is widely worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. The festival is observed in the hindu calendar month of Bhadrapada starting on the Shaukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). This date usually falls between 20 August and 22 September. The festival lasts for 11 days, ending on Anant chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period). Two to three months prior to Ganesh Chaturthi, artistic clay models of Lord Ganesha are made for sale by specially skilled artisans. They are beautifully decorated & depict Lord Ganesh in various poses.
The size of these statues may vary from 3/4 of an inch to over 25 feet. Ganesh Chaturthi starts with the installation of these Ganesh statues in colorfully decorated homes and specially erected temporary structures called mandapas (pandals) in every locality. The pandals are structured by the people or a specific society or locality or group by collecting monetary contributions. The mandapas are decorated specially for the festival, either by using decorative items like flower garlands, lights, etc.Though Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated throughout India, the maximum fervor can be seen in Maharashtra.
