Ganesh Chaturthi Celebration in Malaysia

Lord Ganesh is regarded as the harbinger of good fortune and prosperity according to the Hindu religion. He is also considered as the God of power and wisdom.On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, people bring home the idol and typically worship him for ten days.The elephant headed son of Lord Shiva and Parvati is very popular is different parts of the world and even non Hindus worship him with great devotion.

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in Malaysia with great enthusiasm in the capital city of Kuala-Lumpur. The main celebrations are held in Brickfields, where thousands of devotees gather for the occasion. Malaysians believes in celebrating the occasion in an eco-friendly way and the idol is made from a biodegradable material known as cassava, which eventually turns into food for themarine animals when the idol is immersed in the sea.

The custom made idol of Lord Ganesha that is used for celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi in Malaysia is quite tall, measuring around 5.5 meters in height. The statue is placed along the rows of shops in Jalan Tun Sambanthan. The statue is made in India but local artisans assemble it at the venue.

Celebrations start with pranprathistha in the idol, better known as invoking the lord on earth and then worshipping him with different types of sweet dishes and delicious food items for 9 days. On the final day, the large procession carries the idol to the nearest water body and immerses it. The festival comes to an end on the tenth day with the hope that Ganesha would grant all his devotees good fortune for the entire year.