Hundreds turn out in Pheonix Quarters, Dartford, for nine-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations
15:14, 24 September 2024
updated: 15:17, 24 September 2024
More than 1,000 Hindus gathered in honour of the birthday of an auspicious god.
People living in Phoenix Quarters in Dartford held nine days of celebrations for Ganesh Chaturthi.
Families dressed in traditional clothes and got together to say prayers, sing hymns [bhajans], dance and share home-cooked meals.
On the final day of the festival, sweets called Laddu were exchanged and there was a short procession through the streets.
They then performed the ritual Ganesh Idol Immersion – an act where a statue of the deity is removed from homes and immersed in water, mimicking the cycle of his life.
Originating from the Indian state of Maharashtra, it is now a worldwide Hindu holiday.
The Dartford event is now in its fifth year.
Local dignitaries also joined in the celebrations, including MP Jim Dickson and Dartford council leader, Cllr Jeremy Kite.
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