Today was the day that all of the Ganesh statues are immersed into bodies of water. Once in the water, they are left their to dissolve. It's at the end of the Ganesh festival that this is done. We did not see any first hand, toward the theme of staying away from crowds and religious processions.
There's a new thing taking place - "going green" with this festival. There is a great deal of self congratulation here in India about creating Ganeshas that are not sprayed with toxic paints and the like. The idea is that the Ganesh statues that are dissolving in the various bodies of water throughout India are causing less pollution than in prior years.
I suppose this is a good development, but.... the bodies of water into which they are being inserted are usually profoundly polluted. Another paradox we have noticed.
