Ganesha Chaturthi is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the destroyer of obstacles. Ganesha idols are installed at homes or publicly with great ceremony on a decorated platforms

and are worshiped for 10 days. They are immersed at the end of the festival in a body of water such as a lake or river. The idol is offered pure water along with libations such as honey and milk.

“…A traditional legend about Ganesha’s birth is that , Parvati – Shiva’s wife, created Ganesha out of mala (dirt) off her body while having a bath and breathed life into the figure. She then set him the task of guarding her door while she bathed. Shiva, who had gone out, returned and as Ganesha didn’t know him, didn’t allow him to enter. After the combat between Ganesha and Shiva finally angry Shiva severed the head of the child. Parvati seeing this became enraged and Shiva then promised that her son will be alive again. The devas searched for the head of a dead person facing North, but they found only the head of an elephant. They brought the head of the elephant and Shiva fixed it on the child’s body and brought him back to life. Lord Shiva also declared that from this day the boy would be called Ganesha (Gana Isha : Lord of Ganas)…”