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Vibrant Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations abroad spark debate: ‘Is this right?’
Videos of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in countries such as Scotland, Germany and the USA have sparked debate on social media
Videos of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in countries such as Scotland, Germany and the USA have sparked debate on social media, with some questioning whether large public festivities are appropriate abroad.
In India, the Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is marked by the installation of Lord Ganesh’s idols in homes and elaborate public pandals, culminating in a grand immersion procession with music and chanting. While the festival is celebrated with particular fervour in Maharashtra, its growing visibility overseas has raised questions about the use of public spaces for such events.
Ganesh Chaturthi in Scotland and Germany
X user Sriram shared two videos – one shows Ganesh Chaturthi being celebrated in Scotland and the other shows the festival being celebrated in Germany. In both videos, a massive procession made up of Indians and Indian-origin people was seen taking over the streets for the celebration.
“Ganesh celebration in Scotland. It's perfectly fine to celebrate inside temples or at home, but taking it to the streets is NOT RIGHT. Every Indian abroad is a Brand Ambassador for India, and we should respect cultural boundaries and not impose our traditions on others,” Sriram wrote.
He offered a similar opinion while sharing the video from Germany, saying that such public celebrations would only serve to fuel resentment against Indians.
A debate on appropriateness
The videos have together garnered tens of thousands of views on X, sparking a spirited debate. They come at a time when several countries across the world, including USA, Australia and the UK, are seeing anti-immigration sentiments on the rise.
Some people agreed that public and visible celebrations of Indian festivals would inconvenience locals and fuel racism.
“Keep it up Indians, soon will be hated and kicked out of everywhere,” wrote one X user.
“People can defend them all they want, but the fact is these actions are bringing hate to the whole community,” another said.
“I don’t think it’s bad to celebrate on roads if the respective country allows it or if it’s a part of the countries tradition to celebrate on streets. Being within limits is alright another story for Indians,” a user countered.
“City must have given permission for the event. It’s a celebration of culture. No harm done to other cultures.Happy event. What’s the problem?” an X user asked.
