Ganesh Chaturthi
Also called Vinayaka Chaturthi, Ganeshotsav
Ten days for the elephant-headed god
What it is
August or September
Ganesh Chaturthi is a 10-day festival for Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of new beginnings. Hindus believe he removes obstacles, so people pray to him before starting anything big. It's biggest in Maharashtra, especially Mumbai.
How people celebrate
Families bring home a clay Ganesha statue and pray to it every day.
Neighborhoods build huge statues in pandals, and some have lines that take hours.
People sing aartis and play dhol-tasha drums.
On the last day, Anant Chaturdashi, the statues are carried in parades and put in the sea, a river or a lake.
More families now pick clay statues that dissolve safely in water.
What people eat
- Modak
- A steamed dumpling filled with coconut and jaggery, said to be Ganesha's favorite.
- Puran poli
- Flatbread stuffed with sweet lentils and cardamom.
- Karanji
- A fried half-moon pastry filled with coconut and sugar.
Did you know?
In 1893, Bal Gangadhar Tilak helped turn it from a mostly at-home festival into a big public one in Pune.