Ganesh Chaturthi: 8 states beyond Maharashtra celebrate Bappa in grand style

With the beat of dhol-tasha, floral decorations and chants in praise of Bappa, the country is set to welcome Ganpati. Tomorrow, September 14, Ganpati idols will be installed at homes and pandals and worshipped with due rituals. The festival was originally popular in Maharashtra and its surrounding areas, but has gradually come to be celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country. India has several temples where Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great grandeur and fanfare.

The Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi, Mumbai, is one of the most famous temples dedicated to Ganpati. It draws large numbers of devotees from India and abroad. During Ganesh Chaturthi, long queues of devotees form here, along with special rituals, chanting and a grand aarti. The temple is known for its idol of Ganpati whose trunk is turned to the right. The idol has four arms, with a lotus in the upper right hand, a small axe in the upper left hand, a string of prayer beads in the lower right hand, and a vessel containing Siddhivinayak's favourite modaks.

Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati temple in Pune, Maharashtra, is counted among the country's most famous and wealthy Ganesh temples. Every year during Ganesh Chaturthi, the temple recreates near-exact replicas of famous temples or palaces from across the country. This year, a grand pandal offering a glimpse of Vrindavan's famous Prem Mandir will be set up. On regular days the temple closes at a fixed time, but during Ganeshotsav it remains open to devotees around the clock. The temple was established in the 19th century by a wealthy halwai named Shri Dagdusheth and his wife Lakshmibai, who had lost their only son to a plague epidemic. To cope with their grief, they turned to Lord Ganesh. It was the public Ganeshotsav here that inspired freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak to start a larger festival to unite the country.

At the Ranthambore Ganesh Temple in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, a large Lakshmi fair is held at the auspicious time of Ganesh Chaturthi, drawing lakhs of devotees. The idol of Ganpati inside the historic Ranthambore Fort has three eyes (trinetra), and it is customary to welcome Ganpati here. It is among the few temples in the country where Ganpati is seated along with his wives Riddhi-Siddhi, his sons Shubh-Labh, and his vehicle, the mouse. It is said that the idol here was not made by any human but appeared on its own.

At the Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, a grand annual Brahmotsavam begins on Ganesh Chaturthi and continues for 20 days. During this period, the festival idol of Ganpati is decorated on different colourful and traditional vahanas and taken out in a grand procession through the area. The self-manifested (swayambhu) idol installed here is believed to be continuously growing in size. It is said that a silver shield offered to the idol 50 years ago no longer fits it. The Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple is also known for settling mutual disputes and testing the truth, where devotees resolve their differences by swearing in the deity's name.

The Ashtavinayaka Yatra in Maharashtra is one of the state's major religious pilgrimages. Dedicated to Lord Ganesh, this yatra takes devotees to eight sacred Ganesh temples: Moreshwar, Siddhivinayak of Siddhatek, Ballaleshwar of Pali, Varadavinayak of Mahad, Chintamani of Theur, Girijatmaj of Lenyadri, Vighnahar of Ozar, and Mahaganapati of Ranjangaon. It is believed that visiting these pilgrimage sites brings the special blessings of Ganpati Bappa and removes obstacles from life. During Ganeshotsav, these temples see heavy crowds of devotees.