GML Correspondent
The annual Ganesh Utsav celebrations hosted by the Felicity Ganesh Utsav Festivals Committee (FGUFC) culminated yesterday with a colourful street procession through the Felicity community in Chaguanas.
The procession began at 6 am, with scores of devotees accompanying a 12-foot murti of Lord Ganesh mounted on the back of a truck.
In keeping with the traditional symbolism of a chariot procession, a devotee pulled a rope attached to the front of the truck as the vehicle made its way through the community.
Devotees gathered behind the truck, chanting and participating in the procession as the murti was taken through the streets of Felicity.
This year’s celebrations marked the 19th anniversary of the FGUFC, which has established the community as one of the major centres for annual Ganesh Utsav observances in Trinidad and Tobago.
The celebrations began on September 14 with the transportation of a massive clay murti from the home of renowned murti maker Dhaniram Sankar, a distinguished artist, sculptor and master craftsman.
Over the years, the Felicity festival has attracted hundreds of devotees and visitors, combining Hindu religious observances with community participation, music, tassa and colourful street processions.
A feature of this year’s celebration was the story depicted in the murti, which portrayed Lord Hanuman carrying Lord Ganesh into battle.
Following the procession, the murti was taken to the Cunupia River, near the Lakan Karriah Cremation Site, where it was immersed in the traditional visarjan ceremony.
The murti was constructed entirely from natural clay, reflecting the festival’s environmental tradition of using materials that can dissolve naturally following immersion in water.
For devotees, the visarjan marks the conclusion of the celebrations and symbolises the return of Lord Ganesh to his divine abode, while also bringing the annual festival to an end.
