Thaindian News

By Meena Kar
The most-splendid celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayak Chaturthi (a festival on the Hindu Calaendar) will take place on 23rd August 2009. In Western India the celebrations last for 10 days at a stretch. In Mumbai , in the Bhadra month of the Hindu calendar, each year people rejoice in worshiping the god of wisdom and prosperity. Here Lalbaugcha Raja ,aka, the Emperor of Lalbaug is the name attested to the Ganesh Idol of “Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal” , which is perhaps one of the most elaborate Mandals in the city. The mandal committee has made arrangements to host 10 million visitors who will visit the incarnation. The festival celebrated annually in Mumbai accounts for serious noise pollution. The immersion of the idols in lakes also causes damage to ecosystems and causes water pollution. Initially the idols (which are exquisite work of art) were made of mud but lately they are being made of plaster of Paris reportedly. They are painted with toxic chemical colors to make them attractive and the expenses incurred at making them are enormous.

The deity is known to fulfill the wishes of his worshipers and especially children look forward to bring their own small idol at home. He is fondly called ‘Ganapati Bappa’ by the Mumbai folk.

In Managalore places like Kadri, Kankanady, Bejai, Surathkal, Mallikatta and Urva Market seem to brim up with vendors selling ‘Puja’ paraphernalia weeks before the festival starts.

The god with an elephant trunk is son of Shiv who mythically beheaded him when he prevented him from visiting his wife Parvathi who had asked her son to guard her. When the human head was cut off the deity got his elephant head.