SINT MAARTEN (GRAT BAY) - The Indian community of St. Maarten will welcome Lord Ganesha with three days of bhakti, blessings, bhajans and togetherness at the Sai Center on Monday 14, Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 September.
Each day begins with morning aarti at 8:00 AM and closes with evening bhajans at 7:00 PM. Families and friends of all backgrounds are warmly invited. Ganesh Chaturthi marks the birth of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity revered as Vighnaharta, the remover of obstacles, and the god of wisdom and new beginnings.
The festival falls in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada. While Ganesha has been worshipped for centuries, the large public celebrations known today were popularised in 1893 by freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak in Maharashtra, who turned a family observance into a community gathering that unites people across caste and class.
The festival is now celebrated throughout India and by the Indian diaspora worldwide. Traditionally, an idol of Ganesha is installed and honoured with prayers, devotional songs, flowers and sweets, especially modak, said to be his favourite.
Celebrations conclude with visarjan, the ceremonial immersion of the idol in water.
For sewa (volunteer) enquiries, contact Devika at +590 690 22-4170 or Rakhee at +1 (721) 553-4344.
