Indians celebrate elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha, remover of obstacles

The 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival draws millions of devotees and ends with the immersion of idols in bodies of water.

A large idol of the elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha sat in the back of an open truck travelling along a busy street in India’s financial capital, Mumbai, dwarfing other objects on the road.

Hundreds of devotees walked alongside, singing hymns glorifying the god of new beginnings, believed to be the remover of obstacles and granter of wishes.

The devotees took the idol to their small but densely populated neighbourhood, where they and others will worship it for 10 days. Many will whisper their wishes in Ganesha’s ear and present him offerings of his favourite sweet, called modak, a dumpling filled with coconut and jaggery.

At the end of the festival known as Ganesh Chaturthi, devotees will transport the idol to a nearby beach where they will ceremonially immerse it in the sea. Ganesha will thus return to his heavenly abode after being made aware of people’s wishes.

During the festival, which started on September 7, millions of devotees across India celebrate the birth of Ganesha, by immersing idols of him, big and small, in ponds, rivers and the sea.