Ganesh Chaturthi Celebration in Malaysia:
As per Hindu religion, Lord Ganesh is considered as the God of prosperity and fortune, as well as power and knowledge. During Ganesh Chaturthi festival, people keep the idol of Ganesh at their home and worship him for ten days as per Hindu traditions. Ganesh, the elephant headed God is the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati and is worshipped by Hindus as well as non-Hindus of different parts of the world with great devotion.
In Kuala-Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great enthusiasm. Thousands of devotees take part in the main celebrations held in Brickfields.
Malaysians celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly way. They make idols using cassava, which is a biodegradable material, which ultimately converts into food for the marine animals after the idol is immersed in the sea.
Very huge idols of Lord Ganesha, measuring about 5.5 meters tall, are used for the celebration Ganesh Chaturthi in Malaysia. The idols are displayed in a number of shops in Jalan Tun Sambanthan. The idols are made in India but assembled by the Malaysian local artisans at their area.
Rituals of the celebrations begin with pranaprathistha, by which life is invoked into the idol, and worshipping him with different offerings and delicacies for 9 days. On the concluding day, the idol is carried in a large procession and immersed in water. The festival ends on the tenth day and the devotees believe that Ganesha would bless them with prosperity and fortune throughout the year.
