Thousands of people lined up to pray in a nine foot statue of the Hindu god Ganesh in the context of a religious festival. The statue, which is claimed to be the largest of its kind in the UK shows temple Shri Sanatan Mandir, Weymouth Street, Belgrave, Leicester, in the framework of the celebration of Ganesha Chaturthi. The festival commemorates the birth of Ganesh, revered as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. The temple staff ordered the clay sculpture, which took four months to build, from Mumbai. It was shipped over to arrive in time for the 10-day festival, which began Saturday. The statue, which is biodegradable, is taken to Liverpool on Wednesday and sank in the River Mersey to symbolize the return of Ganesh to their parents and spiritual home.


Vinod Patel, festival organizers said this year's celebrations were the biggest yet in Leicester. He said Every year we try to make the statue of a larger one. It's the largest in the United Kingdom this year and we had thousands of people who come to see. Some people have queued for a long time to get inside the temple. We had people from India, which months, because we wanted to make this year a statue as big as possible. I went to Mumbai, when it was done, and it will then be transported on it. It was hard work to do inside the temple, but it's worth it.

This is a very important celebration, and that will bring happiness to thousands of people who pray to Ganesh. It's wise and then we pray to him before. Temple president Ramanbhai Barber, said We had five or six feet of the statues before, but this is bigger than the people we have come to pray to Ganesh for the whole day . He is to remove obstacles and bring good luck, so people come to him for help with their problems Thousands of. People in Leicester are expected to join Liverpool to collect, where statues of Ganesh in the whole country will end up Mersey. Lord Ganesh is worshiped, Hindu and Buddhist and Jain faiths.

Every year since 1994, the sanctuary was established in Leicester to celebrate the birthday of the son of Shiva. The popular story is that Shiva beheaded when he looks at his mother, Parvati, when she was bathing. Shiva, who did not understand that Ganesh was his son, then choose the original head like a bull, which has been exceeded.