03:40Thousands flocked to Mumbai on Saturday to join the annual Ganesh Chaturthi festivities and honour the elephant-headed Hindu deity, Ganesha.
Footage shows massive crowds blocking the roads as worshippers gathered outside the temple. Dozens can also be seen praying inside the temple and taking pictures of the Ganesha idol.
"I am very excited to see all these Ganesh festivals, which people celebrate here with a lot of fun and joy. So, I am here to be a part of the culture," one participant said.
"I have been to two or three pandals before," she continued. "They were very much crowded. So, here I feel very calm, like the wind is very cool here, and the environment, the carpets, and the architecture you can see here. The pandal is very beautiful, and I am enjoying very much."
Ganesh Chaturthi begins with rituals like Prana Pratishhtha, where priests chant mantras to 'bring life' into the idol. They are followed by the Shodashopachara Puja, a 16-step ritual offering Ganesha's favourite foodsc- modak and coconut rice.
The festivities later culminate in Ganpati Visarjan, where the idol gets immersed in water, symbolising the deity's return to his celestial abode. The chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya' echo through the streets, as religious participants bid farewell to Ganesha until the coming year's celebrations.
Vikram Varanhwal, one of the organisers, said that building Ganesha's statue this year took about three months, with nearly 100,000 people visiting it on a daily basis.
"Every year, we are making different statues of Ganesh idol," he added. "because of this reason, people are every year excited to see what we have made new."
During the 10-day festival honoring deities such as Ganesha, thousands of devotees flock to pandals - temporary, ornately decorated structures. These are constructed throughout the region and are bedecked with flowers and various adornments, welcoming worshippers around the clock.
Faith and festivity! Thousands of Hindus gather to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai
Thousands flocked to Mumbai on Saturday to join the annual Ganesh Chaturthi festivities and honour the elephant-headed Hindu deity, Ganesha.
Footage shows massive crowds blocking the roads as worshippers gathered outside the temple. Dozens can also be seen praying inside the temple and taking pictures of the Ganesha idol.
"I am very excited to see all these Ganesh festivals, which people celebrate here with a lot of fun and joy. So, I am here to be a part of the culture," one participant said.
"I have been to two or three pandals before," she continued. "They were very much crowded. So, here I feel very calm, like the wind is very cool here, and the environment, the carpets, and the architecture you can see here. The pandal is very beautiful, and I am enjoying very much."
Ganesh Chaturthi begins with rituals like Prana Pratishhtha, where priests chant mantras to 'bring life' into the idol. They are followed by the Shodashopachara Puja, a 16-step ritual offering Ganesha's favourite foodsc- modak and coconut rice.
The festivities later culminate in Ganpati Visarjan, where the idol gets immersed in water, symbolising the deity's return to his celestial abode. The chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya' echo through the streets, as religious participants bid farewell to Ganesha until the coming year's celebrations.
Vikram Varanhwal, one of the organisers, said that building Ganesha's statue this year took about three months, with nearly 100,000 people visiting it on a daily basis.
"Every year, we are making different statues of Ganesh idol," he added. "because of this reason, people are every year excited to see what we have made new."
During the 10-day festival honoring deities such as Ganesha, thousands of devotees flock to pandals - temporary, ornately decorated structures. These are constructed throughout the region and are bedecked with flowers and various adornments, welcoming worshippers around the clock.
Thousands flocked to Mumbai on Saturday to join the annual Ganesh Chaturthi festivities and honour the elephant-headed Hindu deity, Ganesha.
Footage shows massive crowds blocking the roads as worshippers gathered outside the temple. Dozens can also be seen praying inside the temple and taking pictures of the Ganesha idol.
"I am very excited to see all these Ganesh festivals, which people celebrate here with a lot of fun and joy. So, I am here to be a part of the culture," one participant said.
"I have been to two or three pandals before," she continued. "They were very much crowded. So, here I feel very calm, like the wind is very cool here, and the environment, the carpets, and the architecture you can see here. The pandal is very beautiful, and I am enjoying very much."
Ganesh Chaturthi begins with rituals like Prana Pratishhtha, where priests chant mantras to 'bring life' into the idol. They are followed by the Shodashopachara Puja, a 16-step ritual offering Ganesha's favourite foodsc- modak and coconut rice.
The festivities later culminate in Ganpati Visarjan, where the idol gets immersed in water, symbolising the deity's return to his celestial abode. The chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya' echo through the streets, as religious participants bid farewell to Ganesha until the coming year's celebrations.
Vikram Varanhwal, one of the organisers, said that building Ganesha's statue this year took about three months, with nearly 100,000 people visiting it on a daily basis.
"Every year, we are making different statues of Ganesh idol," he added. "because of this reason, people are every year excited to see what we have made new."
During the 10-day festival honoring deities such as Ganesha, thousands of devotees flock to pandals - temporary, ornately decorated structures. These are constructed throughout the region and are bedecked with flowers and various adornments, welcoming worshippers around the clock.