The celebrations of ganesh chaturthi are unique in itself with its fabulous festivities. Before the ten-day rite begins, the house and devotees must acquire a superlative state of purity. This is accomplished by cleaning or whitewashing the house or cleaning the place where the idol is to be placed. During the festival small images are purchased from shops and brought into homes and enormous images are moulded from clay by professional craftsmen and set up in pavilions in every district and suburb.

Many interesting legends about the birth and the greatness of Lord Ganesh are found in old ancient religious texts. He is considered to be the god of wisdom, prudence and prosperity. The worship of this god is coming down to us right from the vedic times. Every religious ceremony is completed even today with invoking his blessings at the very beginning with the solemn recitation of "Om Ganeshaya Namaha" (I bow to Thee Lord Ganesh). It is believed that Lord Ganesh put down on paper the slokas of our great epic Mahabharat as they were dictated to him by Maharshi Ved Vyas. Sant Gyaneshwar's Gyaneshwari starts with praise of Lord Ganesh. On the tenth day of the holiday or "puja" all the industrial-size images are loaded on flat bed trucks while the smaller ones travel in the back seat of cars or are simply carried by hand on the urban railways to the beaches of the city where this most beneficent of gods is immersed and his clay form dissolved in the waters of the Arabian Sea. The event is now a colossal celebration and perhaps the world's largest religion-inspired beach party. Processions from all over Bombay commandeer the city's already congested road system riding on and walking beside trucks bearing the Ganapatis. Loud speakers shriek from the truck cabs and processionals bang drums and gongs while the orange-capped devotees on the back of the trucks shower themselves and everyone in their wake with red powder called gulal. Devotees chant endlessly - "Ganpati Bappa Maurya.." Lord Ganesh, the elephant headed god, son of Shiva & Parvati, is a very popular god for Indians. His blessings are invoked at most religious ceremonies and important events in life such as marriage, starting a business, buying a home as he is Vighnaharta - the remover of all obstacles to success. He is Dukhaharta - the giver of fortune and can help to avoid natural calamities. He is also known as Sukhakarta which means the god who brings prosperity and happiness, which everyone strives for in life. Vinayaka, the god of wisdom and the benevolent deity of the dynasty of Peshwas, who ruled Maharashtra inculcating a special culture in the state. Gajanan is the herald of auspicious beginnings and is the beloved deity of all Maharashtrians. Today Ganesh Festival has not remained just a popular festival, but it has become very critical & important Economic Activity for Maharashtra. Many artists, industries, businesses survive on this mega event. Ganesh Festival also provides a Stage for budding artists to present their art to the public.