Ganesh Chaturthi: Over 35,000 women recite prayers at Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple in Pune

Pune (Maharashtra) [India]: On the second day of the ongoing Ganpati Mahotsav, the premises of Shrimant Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple reverberated with holy chants as more than 35,000 women gathered there to recite Ganpati 'Atharvashirsha' prayers on Wednesday morning.

Women recited Ganpati 'Atharvashirsha' as part of the Ganeshotsav celebration on the occasion of Rishi Panchami, the second day of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, organised by Shreemant Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapati Temple trust.

A group of Russian nationals were also invited as guests to witness the prayer.
To participate in the traditional recital, women from across the city gathered near the Pandal early morning in traditional attire and attended the prayers.

Ganesh Chaturthi, which started on Tuesday, is a 10-day festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha. While many devotees bring an idol of Lord Ganesha to their home to perform the rituals during the festival, large-scale community 'pujas' are also organised throughout the country.

The festival is celebrated every year with great fervour, with thousands of devotees thronging temples and pandals for the darshan of the Lord Ganesha.

The 10-day festival ends when the idol is carried in a public procession with music and group chanting, then immersed in a nearby body of water such as a river or sea, called visarjan on the day of Anant Chaturdashi.

The festival celebrates Ganesha as the God of New Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles as well as the God of wisdom and intelligence.