Happy Vinayaka Chaturthi: The festival is dedicated to the Lord of new beginnings, Ganesha.
New Delhi:
The country is celebrating the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi, the Hindu festival which is dedicated to the Lord of new beginnings, Ganesha. Devotees across the country began the day offering aarti (the lighting of traditional lamp and camphor) in temples across the country.
On this day, devotees across the country bring idols of Lord Ganesh to their homes and decorate the idols with flowers and garlands. Modaks (dumplings made of rice flour and jaggery) and laddoos, considered as Lord Ganesh’s favourite sweets, are offered to please the Hindu God.
This year, the preparations around the country have been downsized due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The festivities end with the final immersion of an idol of Lord Ganesha, called the Visarjan.
Here are the LIVE updates on Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations across India:
The Ganesh Chaturthi festival this year will be celebrated in a much more restricted way due to COVID-19.
According to new guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs on July 29, cultural and religious functions and other large congregations will continue to remain prohibited.
Nandini Vignesh, a Chennai-based woman, decorated her house with Corona-themed Ganesha and thousands of Ganesha idols to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, news agency ANI reported.
“We started collecting Ganesha idols and now we have 3,500 idols at home. We travelled to many places to collect idols,” Nandini Vignesh told ANI.
Tamil Nadu: A Chennai housewife decorates her house with Corona-themed Ganesha & thousands of Ganesha idols to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi.
Nandini Vignesh says, “We started collecting Ganesha idols & now we have 3500 idols at home. We travelled to many places to collect idols.” pic.twitter.com/q4Ynmlw73I
– ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2020
Devotees offer prayers outside a Lord Ganesh temple in Guwahati on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. A weekend lockdown has been imposed in the state to contain the spread of COVID-19 till August 31.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray offered prayers to Lord Ganesha at his residence in Mumbai.
गणपती बाप्पा मोरया! 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/N9qLl14RFu
– CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) August 22, 2020
Idol makers across the national capital have prepared Ganesh idols, in expectations of meeting demand amid the pandemic, reported news agency ANI.
“Compared to last year, the sales have gone completely down. Making of idols is our family business, and we have been doing it for years. This might be the first time that we are facing such dip in orders from customers,” said Uttam Kumar to ANI, an idol maker who has his stall in Matka Market, near Sarojini Nagar.
This year, the preparations around the country have been downsized due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
On this day, devotees across the country bring idols of Lord Ganesh to their homes and decorate the idols with flowers and garlands. Modaks (dumplings made of rice flour and jaggery) and laddoos, considered as Lord Ganesh’s favourite sweets, are offered to please the Hindu God.
The country is celebrating the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi, the Hindu festival which is dedicated to the Lord of new beginnings, Ganesha. Devotees across the country began the day offering aarti (the lighting of traditional lamp and camphor) in temples across the country.
