Caption: Praying to Lord Ganesha on Sunday: Photo MP Barry Padarath FB page
By Sue-Ann Wayow
THE teachings of the Hindu God Lord Ganesha are a reminder for citizens to meet life’s challenges with courage, to walk with humility and wisdom, and to work together in the pursuit of progress.
This is the message from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as she extended greetings on the occasion of Ganesh Utsav 2025 to the Hindu communities locally and abroad.
Ganesh Utsav, also known as Ganesh Chaturthi, commemorates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the revered remover of obstacles and a source of wisdom, prosperity, and renewal.
She said, “It is a time when families, temples, and communities come together in devotion, seeking blessings for new beginnings, resilience in life’s trials, and harmony in our shared journey as a nation.”
In recent years, Ganesh Utsav has grown into one of the most celebrated religious festivals on the national calendar, alongside Divali, Eid, Easter and Christmas as part of the rich interfaith and multicultural fabric that defines citizens, Persad-Bissessar said.
She said, “From the sacred maticoor to the joyful visarjan, the rituals of this festival embody both reverence and renewal, while also demonstrating an admirable commitment to environmental care through the use of biodegradable murtis.
“In Hinduism, the teachings of Lord Ganesha remind us to meet life’s challenges with courage, to walk with humility and wisdom, and to work together in the pursuit of progress. At a time when our nation, region, and wider global community face many trials, such teachings inspire us to move forward with faith, unity, and hope.
“On behalf of the government, I wish all devotees a safe, blessed Ganesh Utsav, filled with success, wisdom, and prosperity.”
On Sunday, the towering 12-foot Ganesh murti brought in from India for the festival drew crowds of devotees in the Couva South constituency where MP Barry Padarath paid homage.
Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations hosted by Padarath was officiated by pundit Avinash Maharaj and attended by Indian High Commissioner Dr Pradeep Singh Rajpurohit and Minister of Agriculture Ravi Ratiram.
The murti was donated to the Ganesh Utsav Festival Committee in Otaheite on Monday.
