Many people have asked me how it was to drive in Hyderabad and if it was common to see cows or other animals on the road. To say the truth, I haven't met any cows since I have been riding my bike.
But, recently, on the way to the office, I have met thousands of elephants. They don't disturb too much the traffic as they sit quietly on the side of the road. One day I took my courage with 2 hands* and decided to stop on the road to capture them with my camera.
* French expression - but I am sure you will know what I mean
I was quite surprised to observe a child, walking by all these elephants, showing no sign of fear or anxiety...
It is true that when you have a closer look, they look quite sympathic...
oooooh... but they are not real elephants...
They are statues of Lord Ganesh...
Incredible. I was probably driving too fast to notice...
Thousands and thousands of statues, made of plaster of Paris... it looks like something big is going to happen soon... And yes, Hyderabad holds the second biggest (in terms of numbers of statues) Ganesha festival in all India after Mumbai. Last year, 15,000 statues were installed on decored platforms and under tents all over the city...
Lord Ganesh is the God of prosperity, wisdom, and good fortune and is a popular god in India. The statues are worshipped during the time of the festival (around 10 days) but the last day of the festival marks the biggest celebration. The 15,000 statues are immerged in water bodies, including the Hussain Sagar lake in Hyderabad city centre.
What do the fish do when they meet the elephants??
(drawing from Johann Sfar)
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