Ganesha Chaturthi

No school for a day, and other things seem to be closed for several days. It is a Hindu holiday Ganesha Chaturthi when folks set up Ganeseha altars (as seen below), and then later submerge the statue (called an idol) in water. Special food is prepared and shared, including some yummy coconut and jaggery (like Mexican piloncillo I think it was called) goodies.

This was more elaborate and surrounded by people last night. You will see the banana leaves, a key part of all pooja installations. These are a lot easier to get here than at the temple in Pittsburgh or Washington! Below we zoom in a bit closer. While these seem fairly elaborate to me, this is nothing compared to some of the bigger installations I've seen around town at both formal temples and impromptu sites. Turning to another major religion here, we are now a few days into Ramadan. Driving through some predominantly Muslim areas at mid-day is certainly easier now. You can really tell the difference.