Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayak Chaturthi, is one of the most popular Hindu festivals celebrated in India. It is held on the occasion of the birthday of
Lord Ganesh, who has an elephant's face and a human body. The festival usually falls around the month of August or September and is celebrated widely in India over a period of ten days.
The Hindus believe that praying to Lord Ganesh during the festival will bring good luck and prosperity for the family. Before the festival begins, people buy Ganesh idols in various shapes, even large ones that reach up to a height of several meters. Upon bringing the idol home, the Hindus decorate the idol with flower garlands and lights, and
pujas (prayer services) are performed daily. These idols are then carried on decorated floats to be immersed in the sea. The immersion of the idol in the water marks the end of the ten-day festival.
