The Ganesha Visarjan is one of the most important events in the Hindu calendar. It marks the end of a ten-day festival known as Ganesh Chaturthi, which celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, one of the most popular deities in Hinduism.
The festival starts with devotees bringing home idols of Lord Ganesha made out of clay or plaster. These idols are then worshipped for ten days during which various rituals and ceremonies are performed to appease Lord Ganesha.
On the tenth day, also known as Anant Chaturdashi, these idols are taken out in processions to be immersed in water bodies like lakes, rivers or oceans. This act is called Visarjan which means ‘to bid farewell’.
The ritual symbolizes the cycle of life and death and shows that everything has an end. It’s believed that Lord Ganesha returns to his abode after completing his stay on earth during this period.
The Visarjan ceremony is carried out with great pomp and show across India especially in Mumbai where it’s celebrated on a grand scale due to its association with Lokmanya Tilak who started public celebrations to unite people against British rule.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what happens during this auspicious occasion and how it’s celebrated across different parts of India.
Preparation for Visarjan
Preparations for Visarjan start well before the actual day. Devotees clean their homes thoroughly and decorate them with flowers and lights to welcome Lord Ganesha into their homes.
They purchase new clothes for themselves as well as for the idol of Lord Ganesha. The idol is given a bath every day during these ten days with milk, honey, curd etc., following which it’s adorned with new clothes and jewellery.
Devotees prepare sweets like modaks (a sweet dumpling filled with coconut or jaggery) and other delicacies as offerings to Lord Ganesha. They also bring fruits, flowers, and coconut as part of the offerings.
On the day of Visarjan, devotees take their idols in processions accompanied by drums and music to immerse them in water bodies. The idol is then submerged into the water with great reverence.
Celebration Across India
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated across India with great enthusiasm. However, it’s most popular in Maharashtra where it has been celebrated for over 125 years since Lokmanya Tilak started public celebrations to unite people against British rule.
The festival attracts huge crowds from all parts of India and even abroad who come to witness the grandeur of the festivities.
In Mumbai alone, more than 100,000 idols are immersed during this period which creates a major environmental concern due to pollution caused by these idols made out of plaster of Paris which doesn’t decompose easily.
To tackle this issue eco-friendly or clay idols are being increasingly used now which dissolve quickly without causing any harm to the environment.
Apart from Mumbai, Ganesh Chaturthi is also celebrated with equal fervour in Pune where large processions called ‘Puneri Dhol Tasha’ are taken out on streets accompanied by folk music played on traditional instruments like dhol-tasha (drums).
In Hyderabad too, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great pomp especially at Khairatabad where a mammoth idol measuring up to 60 feet tall is installed every year attracting huge crowds from across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Similarly in Chennai, Ganesh Chaturthi is an important event among Tamilians who celebrate it with lot of fanfare especially at Mylapore where Lord Ganesha’s temple draws thousands of devotees during this period.
Conclusion
Ganesh Chaturthi marks one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar which celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, one of the most popular deities in Hinduism.
The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm across India especially in Maharashtra where it has been celebrated for over 125 years since Lokmanya Tilak started public celebrations to unite people against British rule.
Visarjan ceremony symbolizes the cycle of life and death and shows that everything has an end. The ritual is carried out with great pomp and show across India especially in Mumbai where it’s celebrated on a grand scale attracting huge crowds from all parts of India and even abroad.
However, due to environmental concerns caused by pollution caused by idols made out of plaster of Paris, eco-friendly or clay idols are being increasingly used now which dissolve quickly without causing any harm to the environment.