Ganesh Chaturthi - Thursday, August 22, 2024

Ganesh Chaturthi—or Vinayaka Chaturthi— is a ten day festival, held to honor the Hindu god of intelligence, Ganesha. The day usually falls in the Gregorian months of August or September, and is observed with prayer, public and private display of Ganesha idols, the chanting of Vedic hymns, and fasting. On the final day of the festival, an idol of Ganesha is carried in a public procession, and plunged into a nearby body of water. When the clay dissolves, it is believed Ganesha returns to Shiva. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated across India, as well as Hindu diaspora countries like Nepal.