Ganesh Chaturthi,which begins today, up until September 9, is celebrated as the birthday of lord Ganesh who is widely worshiped as the God of wisdom,prosperity and good fortune. Photo: AP
An Indian artisan makes a clay idol of elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha in Allahabad.
The celebrations of the festival is being marked by grand pujas, spectacular mandals and unique clay forms.
Environmentalist Ramesh Karuppaiah said,"Pollution control board officials fail to check out the usage of chemical colours and plaster of Paris materials for idols during the immersion. So far no idols have been seized during immersion."
They said that the responsibility of celebrating the festival without damaging the environment lies with the devotees.
“Idols with chemical colourings will not be allowed for immersion. Devotees should immerse idols in places notified by the district administration and follow the guidelines of the pollution control board. We have requested devotees to celebrate the
Officials said more than 1,400 idols were immersed in the sea last year. Speaking to DC, officials said that water samples would be taken from Royapuram and Foreshore Estate where the immersion of Ganesha statues would be carried out 10 days after
Idols made of plaster of Paris would not be allowed considering the pollution it causes to the coastal ecosystem. The board is asking devotees to adopt eco-friendly measures to celebrate Vinayaka Chathurthi by using natural colours for idols and
In a bid to conserve the environment, Ganesha idols made only of raw clay or sago waste would be allowed for immersion. An order to this effect was passed by the state pollution control board.
In another attempt to promote an eco-friendly festival, Surya Prakash from the city has built three Ganesh idols using tissue paper and paper cups. One can find these at Baba Nagar in Nacharam.
The organisation is giving 5-foot clay Ganesh idols for just Rs 1. “We have been working towards saving the lakes in Hyderabad, Warangal and Krishna districts for the past 16 years. Idols made of PoP are immersed into the lakes, contaminating these
Helping you celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in an eco-friendly and plastic-free manner this year, is city-based NGO, SAVE (Society for Awareness and Vision on Environment).
In Delhi, the Tamil community have been organising Ganesh Chaturthi since 2005 at the Sankatahara Ganapathy Temple in Vasundhara Enclave.
The Ganesh Chaturthi festival, signifying the birth of Lord Ganesha, is set to begin from August 29 and continue at the Netaji Subhash Place Ground in Pitampura here until September 8, when the idol will be immersed.
Mumbai, home to Bollywood actors and other celebrities has various Ganesh pandals across the city with the most popular being the Lalbaugcha Raja. Situated in Lalbaug market area, the pandal, founded in 1934, is said to attract millions.
The Ganesh Chaturthi festival is celebrated with much pomp and grandeur in different parts of the country. Photo: AP
K.B. Ganesh Kumar
People have adopted new and creative ways to dress their Ganesh idols, like this one here, is dressed in the outfit of the Brazilian football team.
While the festival is celebrated all over the country,elaborate celebrations are held in the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat,Tamil Nadu, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh to name a few.
President Pranab Mukherjee said, "May Lord Ganesha, the symbol of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune, shower his blessings ... and remove all obstacles in the path of our development so that we can move ahead as a strong and vibrant nation."
The President, Vice President and the Lok Sabha Speaker have greeted people for the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi and sought Lord Ganesha's blessings to overcome obstacles in the path of development in India.
It is also believed that lord Ganesh bestows his blessings on all his devotees during this festival.