The ten-day Ganesh Utsav began in various parts of the country today, with special pujas and visit to Ganesh temples by the people in large numbers.

In Maharashtra, on the first day, devotees welcomed clay idols of Lord Ganesha to their homes and at public pandals.

In Tamil Nadu, 14 elephants belonging to the elephant training centre in the sanctuary rang the bell, lit the lamp and performed pooja at Vinayagar (Ganesh) temple in the local village. Two elephants, Machini and Krishna, offered pooja, while others stood in a queue and witnessed it.

A large number of people, including tourists, visited the temple to see the rare spectacle.