7 Must-Visit Temples in India for an Unforgettable Navratri Experience
September 6, 2024
Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the biggest and the most famous festivals in India. It celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the great god of new beginnings, prosperity, and good fortune. The festival is celebrated with great energy all over India; however, some places are especially known for their Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations.
Here are some of the best places to experience this great festival:
1. Mumbai, Maharashtra
Mumbai is one of the known places in India to celebrate and experience the vibe of Ganesh Chaturthi. The city goes all out for the festival, with grand Ganesha idols installed in public Ganesh Chaturthi mandaps across the city. One of the most famous is the Lalbaugcha Raja, a massive Ganesha idol that attracts millions of devotees yearly. The streets come alive with Music, dance, and festive food stalls during the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations.
2. Pune, Maharashtra
Pune is another big city located just a few hours from Mumbai, this city is also renowned for its Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. The city is home to the famous Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, clearly one of the largest and perhaps one of the most beautifully sculptured Ganapati idols of the country. Temporary stages called pandals, streets filled with lights and flowers, are created all across the city. Pune also gets to see several cultural events such as music and dance during the festival.
3. Hyderabad, Telangana
The Telangana region, especially the city of Hyderabad is famous for its grand celebrations of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The most important idol is known as Khairatabad Ganesh which is a 60 feet high one. Many followers visit this place and pray to this huge Ganesha idol. Other sites include the site of the Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad also carries out a float out or the taking of the idols for immersion in the water.
4. Gangtok, Sikkim
It has a greater importance in the Western and Southern states of India, however, Sikkim which is a northeastern state of India also celebrates the festival in its own special way. In its capital city Gangtok, the celebration of the festival involves putting up colorful processions, singing and dancing, and the final rite of immersing tiny Ganesha statues in the rivers.
5. Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Bhubaneswar the capital of Odisha is uniquely popular for its beautiful and carved Ganesha statues. It is a colorful festival and is enjoyed with much zeal and the idols mostly portray the current social and political issues present in the society. The festival of Ganeshutsav, celebrated in Bhubaneswar through the deity of Lord Lingaraj in the temple is one of the most attractive events for the devotees as well as the tourists.
Conclusion
No matter where within India you go to watch the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, you can always expect to see a brilliant display of the people and their traditions as well as the fantastic food. Every community has its own culture and celebration style so this festival is a cultural or colorful way of worshiping Lord Ganesha.
