Bengal: Farewell fit for a god

Local Indians from Chennai celebrate the end of the Lord Garnesh Festival. Photo / Greg Bowker

We were standing at Marina Beach, on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, when down the road towards us came an ox-cart loaded with smiling Indians and carrying a giant, brightly painted figure with the head of an elephant.

As we watched in amazement, more elephant-headed figures arrived, some by truck, some being carried on foot, others on bicycles and scooters.

The figures were of the Hindu god Ganesh and this was his festival, celebrated every year in the month of Bhadra, which falls roughly mid-August to mid-September by our calendar.

Prior to the festival, we were told, worshippers make clay figures of the god, varying in size from tiny to the sort of enormous figures arriving before us by truck, and place them on raised platforms.

Then, during 10 days of ritual celebrations, Hindu priests chant mantras to invoke life into the figures, which are then anointed with red flowers, red and white pastes and golden-coloured jewellery.

On the 11th day, the day we had arrived for, each figure is taken to water - a river or, in our case, the sea - to be immersed in a ritual which apparently symbolises Ganesh's journey to his home in Kailash, taking with him the misfortunes of mankind.

At Marina Beach the smaller idols were carried by hand into the water but the larger figures were hoisted with the aid of a couple of ancient cranes and placed on bamboo boats for their journey to the sea.

All this was watched by a huge enthusiastic crowd which farewelled each Ganesh figure with waving hands, applause and chants of "Ganapathi Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya" (O father Ganesha, come again early next year).

We were a little amused to be told by locals that Marina Beach, which is only 13km long, was the second longest beach in the world next to Miami.

But we were hugely impressed by the wonderful Ganesh ceremony which is well worth organising your travel plans to be part of.

And we were moved to hear from our guide that the beach used to be dotted with hundreds of fishing shanties which were wiped out by the massive 2004 tsunami.

Checklist - Marina Beach

Getting there
Cathay Pacific has regular flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai or Bangalore via Hong Kong. For the latest specials or information about fares, timetables and reservations go to www.cathaypacific.co.nz

Marina Beach
Marina Beach is in the city of Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Where to stay
See www.chennaitourism.net for information on hotels and attractions in the area.

Further information
For general information on visiting India go to www.incredibleindia.org

* Greg Bowker visited Marina Beach with help from Incredible India and Cathay Pacific.