The Hindu community in T&T and across the globe completed its ten-day celebration of Ganesh Utsav last week. Those outside the faith may have noticed, from actual experience or through the media, that several murtis or idols of the revered Hindu god were immersed in the coastal waters and in various ponds as part of the festival.These works of art are made by hand out of clay, and artist Dhaniram Sankar of Felicity, Chaguanas is one of the several local sculptors who have been lending their talents to make the celebrations come alive. For the past 15 years Sankar has been constructing and sculpting clay murtis of Lord Ganesh out of blend of grass and clay.Sankar said clay used in the making of the Ganesh sculptures was sourced from the Longdenville ABEL block factory, a division of the ANSA McAl group.Sankar explained that in order for devotees to obtain the full benefits of the festival and the accompanying Ganesha puja, "special ingredients were mixed into the clay and the result of the finished murti must be of a solid nature."Hindus believe the observation of Ganesh Utsav can be effective in helping to overcome obstacles and problems. The festival starts from the fourth day of the bright half of the Hindu lunar month, Bhadrapada, and continues until the 14th day.
On the first day the clay form of Ganesh or Ganpati is brought to the temples with great devotion through the invocation of prayers and the singing of songs, accompanied by music. The murti is decorated with ornaments, flowers and light.Puja and aarti are performed every morning and evening using flowers, rice, sweets, leaves, turmeric, vermillion or sindoor, coins and oil lamps.The festival culminates on the day of Ananta Chaturdashi, when idols of Ganesh are paraded then immersed in the sea or bodies of water.Devotees of Lord Ganesh believe this deity is the destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride, removes negative obstacles and is the personification of the material universe in all its various magnificent manifestations.Lord Ganesh is an elephant headed god, one of several zoomorphic deities in Hinduism.The story of the birth of Ganesh as depicted in the Shiva Purana, indicates that the goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom.When Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and in a rage, struck off the boy's head. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy.Shiva restored its life and made him the leader of his troops. Hence his name "Ganapati." Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture.