At the end of the festival, public processions take place, and each family carries their clay Ganesha to a body of water, like a lake, river, or beach. We visited our local beach where we witnessed dozens of families holding their Ganesha idol while singing, chanting, and praying. This ritual simulates the return of Ganesha to his element: water.
After families reach the water, they take turns immersing their Ganesha idol in the ocean. A few select members of the family carry it on a platform into the water, where it is submerged and left in the ocean.
There are concerns about the leaving these Ganesha idols in bodies of water. Since they are made of clay, they are supposed to dissolve in water over time. Unfortunately, though, chemicals may be contaminating the water, and many of the idols do not dissolve as well as we hoped. You can see remnants of many old Ganeshas at our local beach while snorkeling. It is a unique experience to see potbellied idols with elephant heads through your goggles when you're swimming!
This has become such a problem that some areas have outlawed the placement of Ganesha into some bodies of water. In order to prevent damage to the ecosystem and to abide by local law, some families have begun immersing their Ganesha idol into a barrel of water at home. After it dissolves, the clay water is then sprinkled on the family garden.
