On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the nation with his tweet wishing everyone to have a blessed Ganesh Chaturthi. "Wishing everyone a blessed Ganesh Chaturthi. Ganpati Bappa Morya!" he tweeted. Along with the Prime Minister, President Ram Nath Kovind also expressed his gratification as the 10-day long festivities kicked off today.

PM Modi wishes the citizen on Ganesh Chaturthi

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President Kovind tweeted, "Ganpati Bappa Morya! Greetings and good wishes to fellow citizens on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. May the blessings of Lord Ganesh bring peace, happiness, and prosperity to everyone's lives." Union Home Minister Amit Shah also wished for happiness and prosperity in the lives of citizens on the occasion and tweeted, "Heartfelt greetings of Shri Ganesh Chaturthi to all countrymen." 

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Apart from the officials, other well know faces took to twitter to welcome Lord Ganesha and express their gratitude. Shikar Dhawan tweeted, "Ganpati Bappa Morya! Wishing all of you lots of love, peace and happiness this festive season. Happy #GaneshChaturthi." Virender Sehwag also wished everyone with his tweet. "Om Gan Ganapataye Namo Namaha, Shree Siddhi Vinayak Namo Namaha Ashta Vinayaka Namo Namaha Ganpati Bappa Moraya ! Wish you a very happy and joyful #GaneshChaturthi  #गणेशचतुर्थी ची खूप शुभेच्छा ।."

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Eco-Friendly Ganesha

As the nation gears up for Ganesh Chaturthi, people have found ways to showcase Lord Ganesha in a variety of unique ways. One such unique Ganesha idol has been made in Bengaluru. The 30-feet tall idol is made from 9000 coconuts and has been installed near the Puttengally Ganesha temple this year. The idol is eco-friendly and has been shaped over 20 days by over 70 devotees. Interestingly, apart from coconut, more than 20 types of vegetables have been used to make the idol. This is not the only way that the country has taken up to make eco-friendly Ganesha idols for the festival. Devotees have also made ‘Tree-Ganeshas’ that are made of mud and seeds and are expected to grow into trees after immersion.

Festivities of Ganeshotsav 

The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated nation-wide. This Hindu festival is dedicated to the Lord of new beginnings, Lord Ganesha. This is a 10-day long festival which commences on the fourth day of Bhadrapada month in the Hindu lunar calendar. It is a festival that brings various parts of the country together and is celebrated with high enthusiasm and vigor. With great fervour and enthusiasm, the residents of Mumbai are seen celebrating Ganeshotsav with the installation of the deity's idol at home and at elaborate pandals. The Lalbaugcha Raja is the most famous Ganesh idol in Mumbai with a record number of people, including many celebrities, visiting Lalbaug to seek blessings of Lord Ganesha’s idol. 

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