Clay images of Ganesha, remover of obstacles, are installed in homes and public pandals for anywhere from one and a half to eleven days, worshipped daily, and then carried in procession to a river, tank, or the sea for visarjan — immersion, sending the deity home again. Maharashtra's public celebrations, revived by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1893 as a gathering point during colonial rule, are now among the largest in the country.
भाद्रपद शुक्ल चतुर्थी
One traditional account holds that Ganesha was created by Parvati from turmeric paste to guard her door, and was later beheaded by Shiva in a misunderstanding before being restored with an elephant's head — explaining his iconography.
Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja is among the most visited pandal idols in the country, drawing queues that can run for hours. Environmental concerns over idol immersion have driven a growing shift toward clay and eco-friendly materials in recent years.