Ganesh Chaturthi Sep 7, 2024

Ganesh Chaturthi

Get ready to dance and paint the town red; it"s Ganesh Chaturthi. The festival honours Ganesha, revered as the Hindu deity of fresh starts and the dispeller of challenges, along with being the embodiment of wisdom and intellect. Celebrated across the Indian subcontinent, it brings together people in a joyous observance. The exact origins of the festival are not clear, but it has been a prominent public celebration in Pune since the time of King Shivaji, who ruled from 1630 to 1680. Later freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar popularised it in Maharashtra in 1893. This move aimed to foster a "Hindu nationalist identity" and resist British colonial rule.

© Priti Bhatt/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Back to the future
Sep 7, 2023Camels in the desert, United Arab Emirates
Sep 7, 2025Gdańsk on the banks of the Motława river, Poland

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Amber waves of grain
Apr 17, 2025Andean cocks-of-the-rock, Ecuador
Magnified moss
Jan 22, 2024Walton Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Feb 14, 2026Happy Valentines Day!
Dec 8, 2025Christmas lights on buildings of Domaso, Lake Como, Italy
Jan 7, 2024Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve, Australia
Dec 31, 2023New Years Eve!
The festival of colours
Ride the wave
Jan 19, 2024Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
Aug 12, 2024World Elephant Day
Mar 26, 2026Logan Creek Suspension Bridge, West Coast Trail, Canada
Jan 24, 2026Andermatt village in the Alps, Switzerland
Keep practicing, little guy
World Hippo Day, a giant celebration
Jan 3, 2026J.R.R. Tolkien Day
Nature’s blue wonder
May 6, 2025An ultralight aircraft flying over the sands of Namibia
Jun 10, 2025Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
Nov 15, 2024Yi Peng lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Oct 7, 2023Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park, Alaska
Connecting the dots
Jun 21, 2024International Day of Yoga
Aug 24, 2024Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, United States
A sea of humanity
Fit for a fairytale
May 3, 2026International Leopard Day
Revered ruins
May 18, 2026International Museum Day