Ganesha is one of the deities of the Hindu
pantheon, who merrily lends himself to be decorated and worshipped as per the
likes, desires and fantasies of his devotees.
The imagination of the people knows no bounds in making and shaping the idols
of the deity. Due importance is also given to themes of the day and current
trends. Here are some photos of God Vinayaka as displayed in different places in
the country during this year’s Chaturthi celebrations. Unusual ornamentation of the deity can be
seen in the photos.
STATUES OF FANTASY
(By Subbaram Danda)
Khairatabad Ganesha
The famous Khairatabad Ganesha in Hyderabad,
Telangana, stands grand with a height of 61 feet, a record for the county. Displaying 12 heads and 24 hands and
surrounded by 7 horses and 12 snakes, the idol invokes the Sun God for good
rains and a bountiful harvest. A total of 150 artistes worked on the idol,
which has become a big draw.
Lalbaugcha Raja
Mumbai, Maharashtra, is known for Vinayaka
Chaturthi celebrations in great pomp and gaiety. Hundreds of idols of the deity
are displayed at various strategic points in the city thronged by people for
several days till immersion. The most popular attraction, Lalbaugcha Raja statue,
celebrates this year India’s space achievements. The backdrop in colourful graphics shows two
men in space suits hovering in space, planets revolving around and a Chandrayan
lander ready to descend on the moon.
Coconut Ganesha
A 30-foot-tall idol of Ganesha fashioned out
of as many as 9,000 coconuts has become a great attraction in Bengaluru,
Karnataka. It has been installed near
Puttengally Genesha temple. The deity’s mount, the adorable mouse, is also made
of coconuts.
‘Athi’ Vinayaka
After ‘Athi’ Varadar, it is now ‘Athi’
Vinayaka. The darshan of ‘Athi’ Varadar
for 48 days in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, was a major spiritual event recently.
The statue of Varadar, made of ‘Athi’ (fig) tree was taken out of a tank after
40 years and laid back in the tank following the 48-day darshan. In a bid to keep up the ‘Athi' tempo, a festival
committee has installed an 'Athi' Vinayaka statue made largely of dry figs on
Venkatanarayana Road in T. Nagar, Chennai.
The 15-foot tall idol weighs about 250 kilograms.
Millets Ganesha
To lay emphasis on the importance of millets
in an attempt to change the food habits of the people for good health, an idol
of Ganesha made of pearl millets (Kambu in Tamil) has been set up in
Rangarajapuram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The grains have been neatly and smoothly glued
over the statue in an artistically pleasing way.
Saluting Ganesha
The theme of patriotism and nationalism has
not been left out. In an installation in
K.K.Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Ganesha has been featured in a family set up
saluting the national flag. The
admirable mouse holds the flag.
Cool Vinayaka
 |
| (Photo courtesy: Mylapore Times) |
Every year sculptors and artists have been
turning out Vinayaka idols in ultra modern styles.
Whatever their medium is -- precious metals, wood, clay, plaster of Paris
or sand – their creativity is outstanding.
This year my appreciation goes to the relaxed-looking Ganesha sculpture sporting
a cooling glass!
September 03, 2019
