2nd September: Happy Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival that celebrates the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the Hindu god of wisdom and success. It is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi and can last up to 10 days during the Hindu Month of Bhadra, which usually falls between mid-August and mid-September.

This spectacular festival of Ganesh Chaturthi honors the birth of the beloved Hindu elephant-headed god, Lord Ganesha, popularly worshiped for his ability to remove obstacles and bring good fortune. The festival is celebrated in a very public manner. Local communities compete with each other to put up the most impressive Ganesha statue and display. Expect very crowded streets, filled with boisterous devotees, and lots of music.

The festival begins with the installation of huge elaborately crafted statutes of Ganesha in homes and podiums, which have been specially constructed and beautifully decorated. Artisans put months of effort into making the statues. It’s forbidden to look at the moon on this first night as legend had it the moon laughed at Lord Ganesha when he fell from his vehicle, the rat. On Ananta Chaturdasi (the last day), the statues are paraded through the streets, accompanied by much singing and dancing, and then immersed in the ocean or other bodies of water.