Ganesh Chaturthi in UK

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the biggest dates in the festival calendar of every religious Hindu. This festival is celebrated to seek the blessings of the elephant headed God on his birthday.

There are a number of places in the United Kingdom, where Lord Ganesha is worshipped on his birthday.

Hounslow Ganesh Mandal - Hounslow.

Residents of Hounslow, London celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi with an eco- friendly idol for a period of two days. The first day is reserved for the traditional puja ceremony, which is accompanied by different activities like fancy dress parade and rangoli competition. Evenings are usually reserved for DJ parties. The idol is immersed in the river Thames on the second day, which is known as Ganapati Visarjan, which is accompanied by a huge procession.

Maharashtra Mandal celebrations - Dollis Hill, London

An estimated 10,000 people gather to celebrate the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi at Dolis Hill in London. The event is marked by the traditional puja in the morning and cultural programmes in the evening. The idol is transported to Liverpool for immersion.

Slough Mitra Mandal - Slough

The celebration at Slough Mitra Mandala continues for 11 days. Plenty of kid’s activities are organized at Slough, with special attractions like a 3D Ganesh competition. Mahaprasad is served daily to the devotees and the visarjan takes place on the 11th day.

Besides these three venues, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in various other parts of UK like Leicester, Birmingham Cardiff and Manchester. Sometimes of these celebrations are organised by specific communities from India, while in other regions prominent Hindu temples of that region take the responsibility.