Ganpati Bappa Morya! The auspicious festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated predominantly in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, and Tamil Nadu. Also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, the popular Hindu festival is celebrated in the honour of the elephant-headed God. It falls on the fourth day of the Hindu month of Bhadra. Celebrations include the installation of an idol of the God for a period of 10 days after which it is immersed in the river.
While it is unclear when the festival began to be observed, earliest origins date back to the era of Shivaji of the Maratha empire. However, after the rise of the British Raj, the festivities began to diminish, only to become a public event later in 1892, when Bhausaheb Laxman Javale installed the first public Ganesh idol in Pune. Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak praised the celebation of Ganesh Utsav in his newspaper Kesari, in 1893.
Mumbai, Maharashtra, is the main hub, and a must visit during the days of the Chaturthi. Pandals remain upbeat with devotional songs, dances, and drum beats. The famous Lalbaugcha Raja is a well-organised community spot, where huge crowds gather to visit the biggest idol of the Lord. It sometimes takes over 20 hours to reach the installation.
Ganesh Chaturthi is no longer limited to India, as Hindu populations living abroad celebrate the festival in the UK, US, and other countries they are based in. Several Indian communities, based in London celebrate the home-coming of the Lord. It is also celebrated in Canada, Mauritius, Malaysia, and Singapore.
