Indian Hindus send deity Ganesha off in style

Agencies Published September 28, 2015

People light firecrackers as an idol of elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha is taken through the streets prior to its immersion in the Arabian Sea in Mumbai. ─ AP

Indian Hindu devotees dance as they carry an idol of Ganesha for immersion in the river, at Chintpurni Temple in Jalandhar. ─ AFP

An idol of Hindu god Lord Ganesh floats in the Hussain Sagar Lake during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Hyderabad. — AFP

Indian devotees prepare to immerse idols of Ganesha in the Arabian Sea in Mumbai, India. — AP

Devotees dance as idols of Ganesha, the deity of prosperity, are immersed into the polluted waters of the river Yamuna. ─ Reuters

Indian devotees shower rose petals and coloured powder on a huge idol of Ganesha during its procession for an immersion in Mumbai. — AFP

Indian devotees splash water as they prepare to immerse an idol of Ganesha in the Arabian Sea in Mumbai, India. — AP

Indian devotees carry a statue of Ganesha in a procession before immersing it in the Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad, India. — AP

Indian devotees offer prayers to an idol of Ganesha prior to the idol's immersion in the Yamuna river in New Delhi. — AFP

Indian devotees transport by boat a statue of thge elephant-headed Hindu god for immersion in the Arabian sea in Mumbai. — AFP

Indian devotees carry statues of Ganesha for immersion in the Arabian sea in Mumbai. — AFP

Devotees chant hymns as an idol of the elephant-headed Hindu god is taken through the streets prior to its immersion in Mumbai, India. — AP

Indian Hindu devotees carry an idol of elephant headed Hindu god Ganesha before immersing the same in the River Yamuna in New Delhi, India. — AP

Devotees signal to a crane operator (unseen) after the immersion of an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh into the Sabarmati river on the last day of the 10-day-long Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Ahmedabad, India. ─ Reuters

Devotees hang from a crane after they immersed an idol of Ganesha into the Sabarmati river. ─ Reuters

Devotees gather around as an idol of the Hindu god Ganesha is taken through the streets. — AP

Indian Hindus devotees carry an idol of Ganesha for immersion in the river Ganga at Sangam in Allahabad. ─ AFP

Devotees gather around as an idol of elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha is taken through the streets prior to its immersion in the Arabian Sea in Mumbai, India. — AP

An idol of Ganesha, the Hindu deity of prosperity, is showered with coloured powder and flowers as it is taken through a street on the last day of the ten-day-long Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai. ─ Reuters

Indian Hindu devotees take part in a procession before the immersion of an idol of Ganesha in Mumbai. ─ AFP

Indian devotees shower rose petals and coloured powder on a huge idol of Ganesha in Mumbai. ─ AFP

Indian devotees visit at a 59 feet tall idol of elephant-headed Hindu God Ganesha during Ganesh Chaturthi festival celebrations in Hyderabad, India. — AP

Indian Hindu devotees take part in a procession. ─ AFP

Devotees immerse an idol of Ganesha into the Sabarmati river. ─ Reuters

Indian Hindus devotees carry an idol of the elephant-headed Hindu God Lord Ganesha for immersion in the river Ganga at Sangam in Allahabad. — AFP

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MUMBAI: Elaborately-decorated giant Ganesha idols were sent out to sea off Mumbai and other Indian cities on Sunday as millions of Indian Hindus marked the end of a major festival celebrating the elephant-headed deity.

Devotees ritually immersed in water thousands of exquisitely designed statues of the Hindu god, some 24-feet tall, at beaches up and down the coast of India's commercial capital.

The lavish celebration, which also saw singing and dancing on the streets, brought to a close a hugely popular 11-day religious celebration that honours Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and the goddess Parvati.

"Today we are sending Lord Ganesha home," 48-year-old Praveen Jarhav told AFP on Mumbai's famous Chowpatty beach.

The festival is celebrated annually across India and is marked by Hindus in every corner of the globe. This year's edition commenced on September 17.

At the start of the festival, families bring the idols, which depict the one-tusked, four-armed Ganesha sitting holding a sweet delicacy, to their houses.

Mumbai Police Deputy Commissioner Dhananjay Kulkarni said an estimated three million people were out in Mumbai on Sunday to bid farewell to Ganesha for another year.

Security was tight with 45,000 police officers on the streets and Kulkarni said that by late evening operations were going smoothly.

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Comments (82) Closed

sap sap

Sep 28, 2015 01:59pm

Thanks Dawn for using the right word "deity" instead of "Idol" as idol worship isn't allowed in hinduism.

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Akki

Sep 28, 2015 02:04pm

Incrideble India！！！！

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Charu

Sep 28, 2015 02:09pm

I love this, for the days bappa is our guest, we make a deliberate attempt to keep negativity out, no fighting, spending time with family by being on time for evening aarti, you can feel the positive vibes throughout...when we went for visarjan (immersion in water) my son was actually sad like a friend was being sent away!!! the only aspect which i hate is the water pollution it causes, most people now use organic Ganesha so that it is minimized, but there are many who also immerse food items etc which causes massive pollution

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Gaurav Arya

Sep 28, 2015 02:41pm

Some students have started making the Ganesha idols with organic material so that it does not pollute the water. This is a great initiative. So many good things have happened with regard to Hindu festivals.....sale of crackers during Diwali is going down drastically and school children are saying NO to crackers. During Holi people are using organic colours. This is great. We must change with the times. The customs that were there thousands of years back are still relevant but we must modernise our religion.

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kash

Sep 28, 2015 02:49pm

If the idol can't even swim and drown's in the seas - how can he bring good luck and help others??

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Ashwin

Sep 28, 2015 02:51pm

Beautiful Pictures!

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Khwarezmi

Sep 28, 2015 02:59pm

Let the Hindus celbrate their idols or deities - and let us celbrate the one God, maker of heavens and earth and everything in between, in peace. Let us not talk bad about each others religions.

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Sanjeev Yadav

Sep 28, 2015 03:01pm

Thanks Dawn. Great journalism.

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Dilip Thorat

Sep 28, 2015 03:19pm

Excellent Pics. Love You Bappa...

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Mr. USA

Sep 28, 2015 03:40pm

Indeed great pics....

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br. Mouzone

Sep 28, 2015 03:44pm

@sap sap what difference does it make anyways.

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Raghu

Sep 28, 2015 03:50pm

@Charu organic Ganesha.....are you serious?? Next time try Lead free Ganesha

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James

Sep 28, 2015 03:58pm

@Khwarezmi - Theres only one great religion. And thats Religion of Humanity. It teaches us love, compassion. Let this Ganpati bring happiness and peace to all the mankind along with their families wherever they are

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shobhit

Sep 28, 2015 04:03pm

@Khwarezmi Newsflash, learn more about Hinduism before making sweeping assumptions. The Deities that Hindus have are all a form of One God only. Guess no one will tell you that. I appreciate about you suggesting one should not talk bad about one another's religions, since all religions (3500+) are a combined heritage of humanity and no one is bigger or better than any other.

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Fact checker

Sep 28, 2015 04:07pm

@sap sap What an ignorant comment! In Hinduism, you can worship God in any form. Call him/her by any name, any gender, any species, any idol. Please educate yourself before commenting.

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ideas

Sep 28, 2015 04:09pm

@Gaurav Arya A gujarati lady made a Ganesha statue of chocolate (cocoa) and immersed it is milk and then gave it as drink to needy children.

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Indobro

Sep 28, 2015 04:17pm

While celebration brings happiness amongst people specially poor who struggle with the hardship of life it also brings hope of a better tomorrow. However while celebrating festivals we forget our responsibilities also. The Ganesh festival, specially in Mumbai creates lots of environmental issues. The idol makes use plaster of parish (PoP) for better finish but he same is not bio friendly. It does not degrades easily and pollutes water body. We must buy idol made of soil or mud. Similarly the huge amount of flowers and puja material which are immersed with the deity pollutes water. They should be buried on the ground and converted into bio-fertilizer. The literate people have to bring changes on their own acts and deeds and they contribute maximum to the environmental pollution than people from villages who suffers the ecological wrath. I have used the Ganesh festival as an example and these concern applies to all our festivals across the globe irrespective or religion.

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Indiawala!

Sep 28, 2015 04:22pm

Thanks Dawn for publishing such a wonderful picture!! From where you collect it?

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Bharat

Sep 28, 2015 04:24pm

@Khwarezmi I can still read what you dont openly want to write. There can not be one or two god there can not be my or your god. We have to go same place but the paths are different. The day people understand this the world will be a different place. Plz open ur mind..

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Ash Khambadkone

Sep 28, 2015 04:24pm

Great pictures.

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KANNAN, INDIAN

Sep 28, 2015 04:25pm

BEAUTIFUL PICTURES... THANK YOU DAWN..

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Krishnan

Sep 28, 2015 04:35pm

@Khwarezmi That is the best way. Your religion and your beliefs are yours and mine are mine. I will not interfere in yours and you will not interfere in mine (nor talk ill off). Most of the problems arise when people start thinking "my god is superior to your God"

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Prakash Bhise

Sep 28, 2015 04:44pm

Thanks Dawn. Superb photographs. One cannot describe the charged up atmosphere with words, photos or videos. One has to be a part of this large crowd to have this experience. On the day of visarjan (immersion), in our region, auto-rickshaw drivers do not charge their passengers. They say "Mann se dijiye". If you walk away without paying, they do not mind. But usually no one does that. Also a small correction. In many parts of India, especially in Mumbai, people from all religions celebrate this festival. I cannot uplod photos here, else I would have showed Sikhs going for immersion of their Ganesh. Many Muslim families and organizations do actively participate in the festival. Once in famous Siddhivinayak temple I saw a Muslim couple offering Namaz in front of Ganapati, and no one bothered to notice them.

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Mumbaiwala

Sep 28, 2015 04:46pm

On this day, all traders line up with their stalls along the route of Visarjan, offering cold water, sharbat, tea, snacks, etc for free. Festivals like these bring people together from different backgrounds and all strata. Thanks Dawn. Would love to know about festivals in Pakistan.

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Asgher Ali

Sep 28, 2015 04:52pm

@Khwarezmi - I agree with you. Each one of us has its own way of finding inner peace and happiness. May we all respect each others' belief and source of that inner peace.

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Ajith Doval

Sep 28, 2015 05:04pm

Beautiful pics. Thanks Dawn!

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Dr Chandra

Sep 28, 2015 05:12pm

A true secular piece of journalism. Very well covered and the pictures taken across India testifies your desire to mirror the magnanimity of this festival. It's also a multi million job creator . In India, every festival or Id, goes a long way to create jobs and above all a feel good factor. There is poverty but gradually it can be overcome. Thanks

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sreenivas

Sep 28, 2015 05:17pm

Thanks dawn for awesome pictures.Eid,Ramzaan,Chrismas and Muharram is celebrated in same fervour in all over India.

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Nana

Sep 28, 2015 05:33pm

Earlier Ganesh Chaturthi celebrated in family or for the village. During the late 19th century to create awareness of freedom struggle and local history Tilak and many others introduced as public festival with ShivJayanti. Even in 60s and 70s there used to be competitions of model building which dealt with current social issues such as casticism, corruption and most importantly on Scientific Discoveries and Achievements such as man reaching moon. There also used to be honoring of local high achievers - students who cleared IIT entrance exams, rank holders in SSC and inventors. Ganesh truly became the God who removed obstacles in bringing the society together and celebrate success of its members. ShivJayanti used to be more martial and sports related. Utsav are meant to raise the individual and collective spirits. They give the individual organic native roots.

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Dr Jape India...

Sep 28, 2015 05:35pm

Thanks Dawn for enlighting pakistanis about Hinduism.

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lafanga

Sep 28, 2015 05:39pm

@sreenivas "Eid,Ramzaan,Chrismas and Muharram is celebrated in same fervour in all over India" Let's not get carried away. We all know the beef ban in Kashmir just to coincide with Eid.

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Ganesha

Sep 28, 2015 06:25pm

Ganesh Chaturthi: Salman to Sussanne, here's how the B-Towners celebrated the festival with their family http://indiatoday.intoday.in/gallery/ganesh-chaturthi-salman-khan-to-sussanne-khan-heres-how-the-b-towners-celebrated-the-festival-with-their-family/1/15715.html

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vinayaka

Sep 28, 2015 06:34pm

Celebs at Ganpati Visarjan http://photogallery.indiatimes.com/events/mumbai/celebs-at-ganesh-chaturthi/articleshow/49024691.cms

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Hussain

Sep 28, 2015 06:38pm

Thanks Dawn and Team for incredible photography. You are a journalism with courage and passion. Great Work.

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bloggervat

Sep 28, 2015 07:10pm

I was a little disappointed that this didnt include the ones from other states like Chennai and WB. But nevertheless, you are far far better than indian daily's dawn. Cheers!!!

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Shamsunder Datar

Sep 28, 2015 07:46pm

Photographs are visual treat. Thanks

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Shamsunder Datar

Sep 28, 2015 07:49pm

Idols are symbolic. Not to be taken literally. Search from Google the concept of Ganesha.

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lafanga

Sep 28, 2015 07:57pm

Ok let's see if an Indian media outlet ... in fact any Indian media, would cover e.g. one of the Eid festivals in Pakistan and show it in positive light to the Indians. To be honest, this will never happen. It's only Pakistani media and the Pakistanis who are a lot mature compared to the Indians. Fact.

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Adul

Sep 28, 2015 08:00pm

Wonderful pics. Better coverage than Indian newspapers. Thank you.

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Prasad

Sep 28, 2015 08:05pm

My first post on Dawn. Thanks Dawn for posting such colorful pictures.

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Sharmaji

Sep 28, 2015 08:14pm

Dawn you are the best English news paper in South Asia , I never saw such beautiful images in our Indian print media , most unbiased journalism in biased world......

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Sahil

Sep 28, 2015 08:18pm

I am not against Ganesh festival, but look at the pollution they are creating. By immersing idols with toxic chemicals in Arabian sea and Rivers they are not only endangering marine life but also environment. PM Modi is spending millions on Swatch Bharat (Clean India) and we are making it Aswatch Bharat (unclean India) doesn't make any sense. It is time to think about it.

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Harmony-1

Sep 28, 2015 08:19pm

@Akki - How does having and enjoying a festival make is "Incrideble India"? Anyway, have a happy Ganesha festival.

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Fawad

Sep 28, 2015 08:20pm

"Let there be no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Truth/ Right Path has become clear/distinct from the falsehood/wrong path."

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Arjun

Sep 28, 2015 08:42pm

Great pics..Well Done Dawn.

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Sylas

Sep 28, 2015 08:48pm

@Indobro Plaster of paris although it does perish eventually.

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k k tiwari India

Sep 28, 2015 09:41pm

Great coverage ! Thank U Dawn

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PShailendra

Sep 28, 2015 10:16pm

@Gaurav Arya : I would say with commercialization things got bad.. and now we are going back and getting rid of bad practices. The 'Sarvaganic Ganeshotsav' was initiated by great Bal Gangadhar Tilak - with the intention to bring people together to fight against British, but afterwards the competition to make bigger 'Statues' - introduction of material like Concrete and POP - the making of Idol became environmental issue. Here in US this year we celebrated Ganeshotsav in Marathi Language school - and introduced kids to use normal clay to make the Ganesha idol, with the instruction not to paint it and then just immerse it in water - and the idol will dissolve leaving only the clay. Wish everyone will follow that.

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Zak

Sep 28, 2015 10:36pm

Pollution is the only outcome of this celebration and waste of money.

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Shubs

Sep 28, 2015 11:02pm

Festivals in India today are less about religion and more about fun, frolic, spirit of community, consumerism, family and food...and that's the way it should be!!!!!!!!! That's what makes all these festivals worth it. And while on the subject, how does it matter if one worships "one god" or a "thousand gods". We're all talking about fairy tales anyway!! Who's the god-police here? Who made these rules that you can't have a hundred thousand gods!

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Mpuri

Sep 28, 2015 11:09pm

@lafanga fyi, I am from Jammu and beef is banned there for decades. Call Yasin Malik and ask him

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hassan

Sep 28, 2015 11:39pm

Nice to see such vibrant celebrations, makes you feel like joining in. Well done Pakistani Media, Indian media on the other hand has long ways to go before the insecurity and tunnel vision gives way to celebration of Deity and love.

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mike

Sep 29, 2015 12:41am

@Dr Chandra First thing (with all due respect to you sir) first,its journalism nothing to do with true or secularism.That's the way it is supposed to be. Festivals are celebrated by prosperous people/nation/community. That is the purpose. You are celebrating your prosperity not festival. Festivals looses its purpose with time and converts into sense less acts over the time e.g.Muḥarram. There is no need to make yourself shocked in blood. The whole idea of Ganesh utsav was social and it is brainchild of Lokmanya Tilak to create and maintain "sangthan" of maharashtrian people. Job creation is by product which is not important at all. Diwali makes chinese people richer than Indians.....imported fireworks .The same way 4th july in America.

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Saira Durrani K, Austin,TX

Sep 29, 2015 12:45am

@zak... Have respect for religions!

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N.Sid

Sep 29, 2015 12:54am

Beautiful festival and colorful pictures, no doubt. We need to look at each other with more pluralism, unbiased thoughts and open minds.

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SUNDAR

Sep 29, 2015 01:30am

Thanks Dawn. Great Journalism!! I really like the way you project religion to bring peace and harmony between people, though they are separated by countries.

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Jamal

Sep 29, 2015 02:05am

@Saira Durrani K, Austin,TX all evils caused by religion will disappear on earth if we start respecting each others religions, what ever those religions are. For me hating some one based on beleives is nothing but stupidity.

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HINDU

Sep 29, 2015 04:49am

I love Sanatan way of life.........................full of celebrations in life of human being.............all auspicious and connected somewhere with GOD. But lately it has become more commercialised.

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Baldev Singh

Sep 29, 2015 07:52am

May God Dear bless all nationalities all people all religions wherever they may be living with whatever they ask for.Also want to thank and applaud DAWN for such brilliant unbiased pictures of the event !

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bryan

Sep 29, 2015 09:33am

@Sahil You are right. We made it out of clay and immersed in an artificial pond. If we dont pollute then it is a great festival. It was so much fun and it cheered us all up.

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Prakash

Sep 29, 2015 09:51am

excellent photography...

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Hassan

Sep 29, 2015 10:48am

@Mumbaiwala Is visarjan or immersion same thing? i thought visarjan is for Ganpati??

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Sep 29, 2015 12:50pm

Thanks Dawn for the excellent coverage, Indian media might not covered this much in detail.

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vinod

Sep 29, 2015 01:10pm

I became a big fan of "DAWN" never make hatred among peoples, well done not for just this one........for all your sincere , non biased news! kudos to the team

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Vitthal

Sep 29, 2015 01:46pm

@Hassan Yes it is the same thing. Visarjan is Sanskrit/ HIndi word for immersion.

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Manmohan

Sep 29, 2015 05:18pm

Festival was started during British rule to bring people together. It helps to create a Divine atmosphere in the house of 11 days when the whole family and relatives, friends join together to pray

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ravi reddy

Sep 29, 2015 06:58pm

Thanks DAWN. Great Pics, better than what I saw in today's morning papers over here.

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prince

Sep 29, 2015 09:59pm

thanx dawn........for brilliant photography on Ganpati festival.....

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Pukudenguta

Sep 29, 2015 11:03pm

Unlike print journalism, photojournalism about India in Pakistani press is lovable. I get better photos about India in Dawn, than in the ones in Indian media. Thank you Dawn.

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Pukudenguta

Sep 29, 2015 11:18pm

@Hassan Visarjan is a word meaning "not to be used any more" or "give up". Now when you do visarjan of an object which was worshipped once, it is normally done into a water body such as a river, well, ocean, tank etc., by immersing the deity into water, which act is called "Nimajjan" ie.immersion in water. Immersion is a way of Visarjan

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pakistani

Sep 30, 2015 01:12am

Please do not make fun of each other's religion .

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SRK

Sep 30, 2015 02:03am

Happiness Everywhere, India doesn't luxuries to be happy, they find their own reasons.

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anon

Sep 30, 2015 10:23am

@Hassan immersion in hindi is called visarjan...not specific to Lord Ganesha.

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Hemant Patil

Sep 30, 2015 11:04am

Thnx dawn for wonderful pictures.

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Sep 30, 2015 12:29pm

Definitely better coverage and pictures than Indian media ...thanks Dawn :)

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Mohan Kishore D

Sep 30, 2015 01:57pm

Hats of Dawn!!! Amazing photos, I have not seen these photos on any Indian news papers. Thanks and keep it up.

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Mohan Kishore D

Sep 30, 2015 01:58pm

@kash please read full story about Genesha on google then you will understand the concept.

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Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Sep 30, 2015 02:29pm

Festivals, processions, rituals, prayers - create bonding, union of hearts and minds.

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BangaloreCapri

Sep 30, 2015 03:06pm

Here is another interesting fact about Lord Ganesha, for our Pakistani brothers. Did you know that He along with other figures from mythology like Arjuna , Garuda etc arecalso part of the folklore of Muslim Indonesia? Their currency notes till very recently has a figure of Ganesha printed on them! Ganesha and charaters from the Ramayana and Mahabharatha re also part of the spiritual life of buddhist countries like Srilanka, Thailand Cambodia etc.

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True Blue Indian

Oct 01, 2015 06:37am

@Zak Thank you for your eye opener !

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Indian

Oct 01, 2015 10:11am

@Khwarezmi salute to your thinking..... :)

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iloveladdoos

Oct 01, 2015 11:18am

There is a need to ensure that our rivers dont get polluted, how does this kind of free for all, throw anything in the water kind of practice help ? Has anyone quantified the garbage that goes in ?

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