ONTD_Political's PotD: October 15, 2010.
Picspam from Ganesha Chaturthi, August to September 2010.
wrestlingdog: "During the festival, all of these structures have popped up all over the city (I'm in Pune, in the state of Maharashtra). They almost look like dioramas. These were taken across the street from Fergusson College in Pune."
wrestlingdog: "Swastikas, in case you weren't aware, were Hindu symbols long before Hitler stumbled upon them. The Hindu versions are actually turned at a different angle than those used by the Nazis."
wrestlingdog: "People from my program praying before the altar."
wrestlingdog: "These shots were taken on the road towards Mumbai. Yes, its a massive sculpture of Ganesh being taken to a Chaturthi celebration."
Our featured photographer, wrestlingdog (thanks for your photo contributions)!
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A female Muslim Indian student colours an idol of the Hindu god Lord Ganesh with vegetable dye in an ecological idol painting workshop in Hyderabad on August 10, 2010. During the Ganesh festival, giant Idols are submerged in water with toxic colouring polluting the rivers. Students at the workshop urged idolmakers to use clay idols and natural dyes to minimise harm to the environment.
(NOAH SEELAM | AFP/Getty Images)
An artist gives finishing touches to a plaster cast idol of the elephant-headed Hindu God of prosperity, Lord Ganesha at a workshop in Pen village in Raigad district of the western state of Maharashtra on August 15, 2010. Thousands of artisans begin making idols of the Lord Ganesha, weeks ahead of the Ganesh festival which starts September 11. There are about 300 karkhanas (workshops) producing over 250,000 idols annually and most of these Ganesha idols are shipped to Mumbai, parts of Maharashtra state and other main metros. Some artisans work full-time but this cottage industry fits in well with the rural economics of India where employment can often be seasonal.
(INDRANIL MUKHERJEE | AFP/Getty Images)
An Indian child carries a plaster cast idol of the elephant-headed Hindu god of prosperity, Lord Ganesha, on her head on the outskirts of Orissa state capital Bhubaneswar on September 9, 2010. The Ganesh festival starts September 11.
(STRDEL | AFP/Getty Images)
An Indian woman holds her son as she stands beside a display of idols of Hindu Elephant headed God Lord Ganesh on sale in a workshop in Hyderabad on September 10, 2010. The festival day for both Hindus and Muslims coincided with Ganesh Chaturthi and Eid-ul-Fitr bo celebrathted on September 11. The Central Ruiyat-e-Hilal Committee announced that as the new Moon could not be sighted, Eid will be marked on September 11 and also was the fourth day after the new Moon in the Bhadra Pada (Bhado) month of the Hindu calender marking the festivity of Ganesh Chaturthi.
(NOAH SEELAM | AFP/Getty Images)
An Indian Muslim child walks past an idol of Hindu Elephant God Lord Ganesh on sale in The Dhoolpet District of Hyderabad on September 10, 2010.
(NOAH SEELAM | AFP/Getty Images)
Indian Hindu devotees are watched by a cow as they use a school van to take home an idol of the elephant-headed Hindu god Lord Ganesha in Mumbai on September 11, 2010. Hindu devotees bring home idols of Lord Ganesha on "Ganesh Chaturthi", for his mythological ability to remove obstacles and in order to invoke his blessings for wisdom and prosperity. The Ganesh festival, a popular 12-day religious festival which is annually celebrated across India, this year running September 11-22 and culminates with the immersion of the idols in the Arabian Sea and local water bodies.
(INDRANIL MUKHERJEE | AFP/Getty Images)
A procession carrying a statue of the Hindu god Ganesh took place in a normally quiet suburb of South London by a local temple, to mark the birthday of Lord Ganesh, also known as the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival. London, UK. 11/09/2010
(Tanya Nagar | Demotix Images)
An Indian Hindu devotee has a symbol tattoed on his arm in Hyderabad on September 11, 2010, on the occasion of the 'Ganesh Chaturthi' festival. The popular annual 12-day Hindu religious festival will be celebrated from September 11-22.
(NOAH SEELAM | AFP/Getty Images)
Sunder Rajan, 11, selling little tinsel parasols at ten rupees each (less than a quarter US) that complete the ensemble for Sri Ganesh. -- On the morning of Ganesh Chaturthi, Hindu devotees buy freshly made, gilded clay statuettes of the elephant-headed god from street craftspeople to celebrate Lord Ganesh's birthday in their homes. Tiruvannamalai, India. 11/09/2010
(Dev Gogoi | Demotix Images)
An Indian Hindu swims with an idol of the elephant-headed Hindu god Lord Ganesha before immersing it inside an environmentally friendly artificial pond in Mumbai on September 12, 2010.
(INDRANIL MUKHERJEE | AFP/Getty Images)
Indian siblings whisper their secret wishes into the ears of an idol of the elephant-headed Hindu god Lord Ganesha before immersing it into an artificial pond in Mumbai on September 12, 2010.
(INDRANIL MUKHERJEE | AFP/Getty Images)
A man dressed as a Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, rides a motorcycle on a road in the southern Indian city of Chennai September 12, 2010.
(REUTERS | Babu)
An Indian volunteer from a charity group prepares props for the display of a Lord Ganesh idol depicted as a surgeon treating a cancer patient in Ahmedabad late on September 13, 2010. The "Doctor Ganesh" display is part of a campaign to warn of the harmful effects of tobacco usage, during the Hindu festival "Ganesh Chaturthi", of the elephant-headed god Lord Ganesha.
(SAM PANTHAKY | AFP/Getty Images)
An Indian crane worker immerses an idol of the elephant-headed Hindu god Lord Ganesha into Hussainsagar lake in Hyderabad on September 15, 2010, on the fifth day of 'Ganesh Chaturthi' festival.
(NOAH SEELAM | AFP/Getty Images)
Indian Hindu men dance during the procession to immerse an idol of Hindu god Lord Ganesha in Amritsar on September 17, 2010. Hindus bring home Lord Ganesha idols in order to invoke his blessings for wisdom and prosperity at the start of the ten-day long Ganesh Chaturthy (birth anniversary) festival.
(NARINDER NANU | AFP/Getty Images)
Indian priests and devotees celebrate the elephant-headed Hindu god Lord Ganesha's birthday at the Khadia Sarvajanik Ganesh Mahotsav temple in Ahmedabad on September 18, 2010.
(SAM PANTHAKY | AFP/Getty Images)
A boy eats as he takes a break from searching for offerings thrown in by worshippers after the immersions of idols of the Hindu elephant god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad September 23, 2010. The idols are taken through the streets in a procession accompanied by dancing and singing, to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual send-off of his journey towards his abode in "Kailash", while taking away with him the misfortunes of all mankind.
(REUTERS | Amit Dave)
Photo source:
- wrestlingdog's personal photo collection (thanks again)
- "Ganesh Festical" | Daylife.com
- "Ganesha Chaturthi" | News.SpeedTV.com