In pictures: Ganesh Chaturthi celebrated under Covid shadow for the second time

Ganesh Chaturthi processions, which were a sight to behold in Mumbai and Maharashtra, have been banned this year under Covid-19 restrictions.

Devotees across the country on Friday worshipped Lord Ganesha for the 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi festivities amid the Covid-19 pandemic for the second year in a row.

A child sits near idol of Ganesha with the musical instrument Manjira in hand on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi, at Kasba Peth, in Pune.  (Pratham Gokhale/Hindustan Times)

Ganesh Chaturthi processions, which were a sight to behold in Mumbai and Maharashtra, have been banned this year under Covid-19 restrictions.

Devotees take home Ganpati idol from a Girgaon workshop in Mumbai (Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times)

Devotees have also been disallowed from visiting Ganesh pandals and have been requested to watch the prayers virtually with pandal organisers told to organise ‘online darshan’ facility. The Mumbai Police imposed orders under section 144 of the CrPC prohibiting the assembly of five or more people between September 10 to September 19.

Devotee takes home Ganpati idol on a scooter in Mumbai ( Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times)

Celebrities were also seen taking idols of Lord Ganesha ahead of the festival. Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty was seen carrying an idol of Lord Ganesha from Santosh Kambli Ganpati Workshop in Mumbai’s Chinchpokli on Thursday.

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty carries an idol of Lord Ganesha from Santosh Kambli Ganpati Workshop, Chinchpokli, ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi.  (Bhushan Koyande/ HT Photo)

A family carries Lord Ganesha idol from a workshop at Andheri, in Mumbai.  (Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

In Delhi, public celebration of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival has been barred by Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). People were requested by the government to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi inside their homes. Devotees thronged Mayur Vihar on Thursday to buy idols of Lord Ganesha as the Capital geared up to celebrate the festival.

Idols of Lord Ganesh at Mayur Vihar in New Delhi.  (Sanchit Khanna/ Hindustan Times)

Devotees were also seen thronging idol shops in Noida and Gurugram. The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday prohibited the installation of Lord Ganesha in public places and asked people to worship Lord Ganesha in the safety of their homes due to Covid-19.

Lord Ganesha idols being taken home by devotees in Noida (Sunil Ghosh / Hindustan Times)

Despite the Mumbai Police cracking down on people not following Covid-19 protocols, devotees were seen thronging markets without following proper Covid-19 preventative measures. Devotees were seen at a flower market in Mumbai flouting Covid-19 preventative measures and social distancing rules.

People seen shopping at a flower market in Mumbai for Lord Ganesha on occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.  (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, vice president M Venkaiah Naidu, Union home minister Amit Shah and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi extended their greetings to people on Ganesh Chaturthi.

Hindus pray to Lord Ganesha before an auspicious project or new beginnings, seeking his blessings in order to remove any obstacles in their endeavours.