GanpatiBappa : getting ready .....

Spent Independence Day, Aug 15,  in the central Mumbai suburbs of Parel and Chinchpokli, which are home to some  amazing workshops, sculptors and artists who make Ganpatis  for the Ganeshutsav , which will happen in early September this year. So many GanpatiBappas getting ready, in huge temporary sheds, protected from the monsoon.  Many large murtis, commissioned by social and religious organizations , being taken home, with a lot of pomp and celebration, and fun. 

An unusual  view of the benevolent Lord...

                       Taking a breather before  absorbing the Colors of Life....

And the brushes wait........

The Lord making his way to a Pandal in Kurla. The festival is some time away, but Independence Day is always considered auspicious to get started on a journey...

Jai Ho!

Despite so many striving to make the trip a comfortable one, I wonder what the Lord thinks about the potholes and the traffic.....

Bedazzled by the Lord....

But some continue to find something funny. The girls, clearly, much better behaved...

A closeup of the Lord, the bhakt (devotee), and the lion (bottom left), the last one clearly outraged at the state of the roads.

Another Lord, for another suburb of Mumbai.  And another form of worship. Work.

Some learn from a very young age....

The experts....

The typical brilliant yellow of the Lord's pitamber (silk dhoti)

He sees it all.....

And what a blessing to all ...!

There are special pieces to adorn the Lord on his special festival.....

Like this brilliant necklace.....

And sometimes, during  travels, the Lord  prefers flowers around his neck...

You can't really capture the Lord. He is everywhere.  Including your cell phone.

Another Lord, sitting amidst others, ready to depart to see his devotees.....