Karnataka allows Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations without Covid-19 restrictions

Bengaluru, Aug 08: The Karnataka government on Monday decided to allow Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in districts without Covid-19 restrictions.

State Revenue Minister R Ashok, as per ANI, said that Ganesh Chaturthi can be celebrated this year without any COVID-19 restrictions. Nonetheless, no idols made up of plastic or plaster of Paris will be allowed; only mud idols will be allowed, he added.

Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, is one of the major Hindu festivals celebrated across the country. The festival falls in the month of Bhadra, as per the Hindu lunar calendar, corresponding to falling around mid-August and the end of September every year in the Gregorian calendar.

While the festival is celebrated across the world, it's celebrated at a grand scale in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana.

The date of Ganesh Chaturthi this month falls on August 31. In the Hindu calendar Panchanga, each month is two divided in two halves or pakshas. The Shukla Paksha is the half of the month between the new moon and full moon, while the second half of the month is called Krishna Paksha. These pakshas, or sides correspond to the period of the waxing and waning moon respectively. Shukla Paksha is considered religiously auspicious while Krishna Paksha is considered unfavourable by many. Auspicious dates and times under the Shukla Pakshas are known as Shukla Paksha Tithi.