India, Sept 18 (Alliance News): Huge crowds gathered across India to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, a 10-day festival honoring the birth of the Hindu deity Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of prosperity and wisdom.
The festival, which began on September 7 and concluded on Tuesday, saw devotees in Maharashtra and beyond offering prayers and performing rituals with elaborately crafted clay idols of Ganesha.
The celebrations included traditional dancing, music, and colorful powder-filled air as worshippers paraded the streets.
The idols of Ganesha, symbolizing his presence on Earth, were later submerged in water to mark his return to the celestial realm, symbolizing the cycle of life and the impermanence of existence.
Ganesh Chaturthi is a time for family gatherings, with devotees offering Ganesha’s favorite foods like coconut, jaggery, and sweet modak dumplings, seeking blessings for new beginnings and prosperity.
