2. First Ganesha Immersion Festival in South Africa

[Guest guest]

Saptha Mandir, to conclude a two-week ritual in honor of Ganesha. "I came here

to seek Lord Ganesha's blessings so that as He goes under the water, He can

take my troubles with him," Pratibha Mistry told IANS. Ganesha is regarded as

the remover of obstacles and calamities. Many other Hindus offered prayers for

blessings as fascinated onlookers of other religious groups enquired about the

ritual. Percy Patel, religious convener for the Kendra, explained that Hindus

believe that the Gods emerged from the ocean and should be placed back in the

ocean. "It is considered a mark of respect to submerge the icon in the ocean,"

Patel explained. Although Ganesh Chathurti prayers have been performed in

homes and temples across South Africa since Hindus first arrived here in 1860,

there has never been a large-scale public event of immersing an icon, such as

those done in India. The organizations intend to make this an annual event.

 

Source: Hindu Press International

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