Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 14 : As the country marked the beginning of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival with devotion, grandeur and traditional fervour, several political leaders across India joined devotees in offering prayers, performing rituals and seeking the blessings of Lord Ganesha on Monday.
From Mumbai's iconic Lalbaugcha Raja pandal to Srinagar's historic Ganpatyar Temple, celebrations witnessed the participation of leaders who extended greetings to people and prayed for peace, prosperity and well-being of citizens.
On the auspicious occassion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President CP Radhakrishnan visited Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s residence and offered prayers to lord Ganesha. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah began the celebrations by visiting the renowned Lalbaugcha Raja pandal in Mumbai and offering prayers to Lord Ganesha. He also visited Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' residence, Varsha bungalow, along with his wife Amruta Fadnavis, to seek blessings of Ganpati Bappa.

Sharing pictures from his visit on X, Shah wrote, "Today, I had the darshan and performed worship at the renowned 'Lalbaug Raja' in Mumbai."

"The anticipation for the darshan of this grand form of Ganpati Bappa, which serves as the centre of faith for millions of devotees, lasts throughout the year. May Vighnaharta bless all citizens of the country with happiness and prosperity," he added.
The celebrations at Lalbaugcha Raja also witnessed the presence of US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who visited the iconic pandal and offered prayers on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Expressing his experience, Gor said, "It's absolutely incredible. I'm honoured to be here. It's great to be invited. I think everybody should come here and see this, because there aren't many places that are this vibrant. The energy is incredible. It's hard to describe if you're not here. So if you've not been here, come."
Earlier in the day, Shah extended his greetings to citizens on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi and prayed for happiness, prosperity and auspiciousness in everyone's lives.

Taking to X, the Home Minister invoked the blessings of Lord Ganesha as the ten-day festival began. "Ganpati Bappa Morya! Heartfelt wishes to all on the auspicious occasion of Shri Ganesh Chaturthi. May Lord Ganesha's blessings bring happiness, prosperity, and auspiciousness to everyone's lives," Shah posted.
Meanwhile, in the national capital, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Ganesh idol at the Lal Bagh Ka Raja Trust's Ganesh Utsav in Pitampura and offered prayers.

"In Delhi's Pitampura, darshan and worship-adoration of the 'King of Lalbagh' were performed. Auspicious prayers were offered for the welfare, happiness, prosperity, and excellent health of all. Ganpati Bappa Morya!" Singh said in a post on X.
The festive spirit also continued in Karnataka, where Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi participated in the grand aarti at Rani Chennamma Maidan in Hubballi and offered prayers to Lord Ganesha.

In a post on X, Joshi said he bowed before Vinayaka and prayed for long life and fulfilment of wishes. He also participated in a bhajan programme organised by the Varkari team.
In Maharashtra's Nagpur, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari visited the Bal Ganesh Utsav Mandal and offered prayers.
In Hyderabad, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy visited the famous Khairatabad Bada Ganesh idol and offered prayers during Vinayaka Chavithi celebrations. He also visited Sri Sringeri Shankara Math in Nallakunta and prayed for peace, prosperity, happiness and good health for all.
The festive fervour reached Jammu and Kashmir as well, where Kashmiri Pandits celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi with deep devotion at the historic Ganpatyar Temple in Habba Kadal, Srinagar.

Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Akshay Labroo said the temple has remained a focal point for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations as well as the traditional Pan festival observed around the same period.
"The temple where we are standing today is the historic Ganpatyar Temple... For many years, the Ganpatyar Temple has been a focal point for the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi, as well as the traditional Pan festival," Labroo said.
He added that people from different communities, social organisations and local residents came together at the temple to celebrate the festival in an atmosphere of harmony, unity and joy.
In Bihar, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary offered prayers during Ganesh Chaturthi puja at Maharashtra Mandal in Patna.

BJP National President Nitin Nabin also performed aarti at the party headquarters and extended greetings to citizens on the occasion.

"May Lord Shri Ganesh always bring auspiciousness into everyone's life, and as the nation moves forward successfully under the leadership of our Prime Minister, I pray that happiness, enthusiasm, and celebration abide in every individual's life," Nabin said.
In Telangana, BJP state president Ramchander Rao appealed to people to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi while protecting nature and the environment.
"Ganesh Chaturthi in Hyderabad is a globally recognised and world-famous festival, with hundreds of thousands of devotees participating in the immersion procession every year. Let us take a pledge to preserve our natural resources and safeguard the environment," Rao said.
Former Haryana Governor and BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya highlighted the spiritual and cultural significance of the festival, saying Lord Ganesha occupies a central place in India's religious traditions. He extended wishes for wisdom, strength and success for people on the occasion.
In Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, along with his wife Rashmi Thackeray and son and party MLA Aaditya Thackeray, visited Ganesh Gully and offered prayers.
Aaditya Thackeray shared pictures from the visit on X and said he took darshan of Lalbaugcha Raja along with Uddhav Thackeray and Rashmi Thackeray.

"I took darshan with immense devotion of the faction leader Hon. Shri Uddhavsaheb Thackeray, along with mother Smt. Rashmi Thackeray, at the Lalbaugcha Raja, the revered abode of faith for millions of devotees. May the benevolent shade of grace from the obstacle-remover Lalbaugcha Raja ever remain upon us all," Aaditya Thackeray posted.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his wife Amruta Fadnavis welcomed Lord Ganesha at their official residence, Varsha.
Fadnavis extended greetings to devotees and prayed for the removal of obstacles faced by the country, Maharashtra, citizens and farmers.

"My best wishes to all devotees of Lord Ganesha across the world on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi and the Ganesh festival. I pray to Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, to take away everyone's suffering and remove all obstacles," he said.
In Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi by performing traditional rituals with his family at his ancestral residence in Kothambi village. He offered prayers to Lord Ganesha and extended greetings to people, wishing happiness and prosperity for the state.

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj also offered prayers at Sarojini Nagar's Vinayak Mandir in New Delhi and prayed for the removal of obstacles from people's lives and India's journey towards becoming a developed nation.

Ganesh Chaturthi, which commemorates the birth of Lord Ganesha, is being celebrated across the country with traditional rituals, prayers and community festivities. Devotees have thronged iconic pandals and temples, marking the festival with immense religious fervour and enthusiasm.