In September 2009, millions of Hindus flooded

Mumbai’s streets to celebrate the annual festival,

Ganesh Chaturthi.

The festival is in honour of the much-loved Lord

Ganesh, known as the remover of the obstacles.
For l0 days the elephant god is worshiped at the
city’s many mandals, where statues of the idol
reach up to 25 feet tall.
Believers hoping for their wishes to come true will
make offerings of flowers, food, money, gold and
silver in celebration of Ganesh’s birthday.

Worshipers also perform pujas (prayers),

celebrate with music and dancing, and some even
host elaborate dinners for the poor.
On the 11th day, the Ganesh statues are taken
through the streets, accompanied by millions of
devotees chanting ‘Ganaptahi Bappa Morya,
Purchya Varshi Laukarva’ (O father Ganesh,
come again early next year).

Drums beat wildly, fireworks fill the air and

dancing takes over the city’s roads, as a
colourful farewell to Ganesh.

The god is then taken to river or sea for the final

day of immersion.
The ritual has recently been criticised for being
environmentally damaging, with giant Plaster of
Paris statues polluting the city’s beaches and
washing up on shores for weeks to come.

However, the immersion is important for the

faithful, who believe the sea symbolises the final
goodbye to Ganesh, with the water washing away
the misfortune of his followers.