As 10-day festivities of Ganesh Chaturthi begin today amid COVID-19 outbreak, Lord Ganesha 'aarti' was performed in several parts of the country including the famous Shri Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai. Priests performed ‘arti’ at renowned Shri Ganesh Mandir Tekdi in Nagpur, Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir in Pune and the Ganesh Temple in Delhi’s Connaught Place as well as the Siddhivinayak Temple in New Delhi.
Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, celebrates the arrival of Ganesh to earth from Kailash Parvat with his mother Goddess Parvati/Gauri. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesh clay idols privately in homes, or publicly on elaborate pandals. This year is being celebrated in a much more restricted way amidst the global pandemic situation. The social distancing norms will prevent people to celebrate the festival in the congregation.
According to new guidelines of the ministry of home affairs (MHA) issued on July 29, cultural and religious functions and other large congregations will continue to remain prohibited.
At the temples, priests were seen following COVID-19 protocols, covering their faces with mask and maintaining physical distancing, ‘Hawan’ was also performed in several temples amid chanting of mantras.
As eco-friendly Ganpatis are a big hit this season, a resident of Surat Dr Aditi Mittal made a Ganpati idol with dry fruits.
“I made this idol with dry fruits with the shells still on. It will be kept at a COVID-19 hospital. After the puja, the dry fruits will be distributed among patients at the hospital,” she said, as quoted by the news agency.
Gujarat: Dr Aditi Mittal, a resident of Surat made Ganpati idol with dry fruits for #GaneshChaturthi.
— ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2020
She says, "I made this idol with dry fruits that have shell & it will be kept at a COVID hospital. After puja the dry fruits will be distributed among patients at the hospital" pic.twitter.com/AupCOURiuj
After 10 days of festivities, finally, the devotees across India bid adieu to the elephant-god for the year by immersing it in water bodies.
#WATCH Delhi: Priests offer prayers at a Ganesha Temple in Connaught Place on #GaneshChaturthi. pic.twitter.com/f4DFBcuXmF
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2020
Karnataka: Devotees offer prayers at Sri Satya Ganapathi temple in Bengaluru, on the occasion of #GaneshChaturthi. pic.twitter.com/P65UhQzy9y
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2020
#WATCH Maharashtra: Morning 'aarti' and prayers being offered at Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir in Pune on #GaneshChaturthi, today. pic.twitter.com/G8VyOZm0IY
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2020
#WATCH Maharashtra: Morning 'aarti' and prayers being offered at Shri Ganesh Mandir Tekdi in Nagpur on #GaneshChaturthi, today. pic.twitter.com/6OGQaYHg7d
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2020
Delhi: 'Aarti' being performed at Shri Sidhi Vinayak Temple in Dwarka on #GaneshChaturthi. pic.twitter.com/ZuHYCpujE7
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2020
#WATCH Maharashtra: 'Aarti' being performed at the Shri Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai on #GaneshChaturthi. pic.twitter.com/5LBmeX0Ij4
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2020