Ganesha, Ganesha, Cow

Forget "Duck, Duck, Goose", it's Ganpati, and it seems there are two Ganeshas for every cow on the street. (That's a lot of Ganeshas!)

Ganesha

Temporary pavilions ("pandals") for Ganesha are set up everywhere: in the bazaar, in housing complexes, in empty lots, tucked into any spare corner.

In the parking area of an apartment block. I'm not sure why the "snowy" scene, but you can see a relatively small Ganesha sitting in the middle.

Most of the pandals have some sort of gateway. This one is on the Gunjan bazaar in Vapi. Monsoon resumed in force on Friday, so these bamboo and fabric structures are getting soaked.

A look inside the pandal.

Today many people were having open houses for friends and family to drop by and share "darshan" and/or "aarti" with their Ganesha. "Darshan" is quite literally to see the god and to be seen by the god -- to let the god know that you are keeping him/her in your thoughts. "Aarti" is the ceremony/ritual where an oil lamp is rotated clockwise in front of the god, accompanied by music -- singing and percussion (bells, drums, claps). Whether at home or on the street, Ganesha songs are played all day long -- much like the continuous soundtrack of Christmas carols back home.

Ganesha is offered all sorts of fruits and sweets. He is usually adorned to point of being nearly completely covered up.

Ganesha displays take up a considerable portion of the typically small Indian flat -- much the way a Christmas tree can take over a house during Christmas.

The more the merrier.

Most of the Ganeshas will be "immersed" tomorrow, the fifth day after Ganesh Chaturthi. (In Pune and Mumbai, the festivities will continue for another five days.) Festivals are traditionally ended by returning the idol to the earth by immersing them in the nearest body of water: river, lake, or ocean. The statues are made of unfired clay, so they disintegrate in water, and these days, environmentally friendly paints and biodegradable adornments are preferred.

Cows

I promised cows, too, so here are this week's bovines.

As I mentioned above, monsoon has been very active for the last three days, and the cows have taken refuge under the flyovers.

I saw two new-born calves this week.

Thursday was a big Hindu holiday, Ganesh Chaturthi. Friday was a major religious holiday for Jains -- the day set aside for asking forgiveness, wiping the slate clean for the next year. This bullock, one of two, was tied up outside the Jain temple awaiting the time to pull a cart for a procession. I can't imagine the neck muscles required to hold up a head with those horns!