Friday, September 2, 2011

The Adventure Begins

The flights were smooth, but 25 hours was a bit much.  Had to run to make the connection between Delhi and Chennai.  Amazing clouds over northern India, looking toward the Himalayas.
Coming into Delhi on the plane.  Huge city. 


On the ride in from the airport to the hotel, there were many displays such as this one.  September 1 is the celebration of Ganesh, so the city was decorated with statues and lights.



Ganesha Chaturthi (Marathi: गणेश चतुर्थी, Hindi: गणेश चतुर्थी, Tamil: விநாயகர் சதுர்த்தி Kannada: ಗಣೇಶ ಚತುರ್ಥೀ,Telgu: వినాయక చవితి), also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is the Hindu festival of Ganesha also called Vinayagar in Tamil Nadu, the son of Shiva and Parvati, who is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival. It is the day Shiva declared his elder son Ganesha as superior to all the gods. Ganesha is widely worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune and traditionally invoked at the beginning of any new venture or at the start of travel.
The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). The date usually falls between 20 August and 15 September. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period).
While celebrated all over India, it is most elaborate in western and southern India. Outside India, it is celebrated widely in Nepal and by Hindus in the United States,CanadaSingapore and Fiji.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesh_Chaturthi