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| Maharashtra celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi amidst tight security | | | MUMBAI | AUGUST 27
Lakhs of devotees of the elephant-headed God heralded Ganesh Chaturthi in the city and rest of Maharashtra on Sunday amidst tight security.
Accompanied by cries of "Ganapati Bappa Morya", beating of drums and rings of bells and cymbals, people began from early morning the process of installing Ganesh idols in their homes as well as specially erected pandals.
Rangolis (designs made on the floor with coloured powders) and decorative `torans' were seen outside homes to usher in the God of Wisdom.
Shops and markets wore a festive look with people making last minute shopping for the 10-day festival, while housewives busied themselves preparing special sweets for the Lord, including his favourite `modak'.
On his 10-day sojourn, the elephant-headed Lord is invoked with Vedic hymns from Rig Veda and `Ganesh Stotra' and is offered coconut, red flowers, jiggery and `modaks', besides scores of other delicacies.
Lord Ganesh is considered to be the God of wisdom, prudence, and prosperity -- protector of the good and destroyer of the evil. In view of the recent blasts and terror threats, the Ganesh festival this year is being held under the shadow of heightened security, with those putting up pandals being instructed to ensure their own infrastructure to screen devotees using of metal detectors and close circuit TVs.
With intelligence inputs suggesting that subversive elements might exploit the festival to execute terrorist acts, police are on guard all through the 10-day festival till Anant Chaturthi, the day of final immersion.
Dressed in new clothes, lakhs of Mumbaikars thronged the Ganesh pandals, some of which are erected in the shape of temples or monuments and depict various themes of social relevance.
This "sarvajanik" (public) celebration of the Ganesh festival, first propagated by Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, to unite people during British rule, is the most unique aspect of the festival.
Devotees visiting Ganesh pandals must observe a "minimum security concern", police said adding that there was no need for panic for the common man.
Four mobile CCTV vans are being stationed at different spots across the city as part of the security arrangements, police said.
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