Ganesh Chaturthi Festival – Celebrating the God of wisdom and wealth

Image by Srivatsan, Ganesh-chaturthi-l, CC BY-SA 3.0

Hindu festivals in India are renowned for its colour and the rich undiluted culture that is displayed through the rituals that take place. Ganesh Chaturthi is yet another one of these wonderful festivals that are devoted to the Hindu God, Ganesh. It is a celebration of Lord Ganesh’s birthday. The festival takes place in all parts of India. Vendors selling new statues of the God show up by the sides of congested streets just for the occasion.
Houses are cleaned and whitewashed before the new statue is taken in. There are several rituals that take place involving the Hindu priests and the families that bring in a new statue to their home. Many offerings such as coconuts and flowers are made every day for 10 days. On the final day, the statue is taken and immersed in the nearest body of water to be found. If you happened to be in a hotel in Bodhgaya, maybe the likes of Oaks Bodhgaya for example, make sure to step out for a few hours to observe the happenings of the festival.