Ganesh Chaturthi 2024: How Ganpati Is Celebrated Across Thailand, Japan, & Other Nations

With just a day left for Ganesh Chaturthi, devotees are excited to welcome Bappa, a beloved deity not only in India but also revered globally

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In Thailand, Ganesha, known as Phira Phikanet, is deeply revered by Thai Buddhists as a symbol of success and obstacle remover, with his influence seen in art, architecture, and statues across the nation

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Ganesha is widely worshipped across Southeast Asia, with inscriptions and images of the deity in the region dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries, as noted by art historian Robert L. Brown

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In Tibetan Buddhism, Ganesha, introduced in the 11th century by Atisa Dipankara Srijna and Gayadhara, appears in forms like Maharakta Ganapati and Vajra Vinayaka, with a legend stating he was born to Ganga and Shiva

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In China, Ganesha appears in a darker tantric form called Huanxi Tian, while in Afghanistan, the Gardez Ganesha, carved in the 6th or 7th century, is revered for wisdom and prosperity

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In Japan, Ganesha, known as Kangiten, evolved into a unique twin form symbolizing prosperity through passion, with male and female figures in an embrace, revered by merchants and performers

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In Java, Indonesia, Ganesha was worshipped as a tantric deity with skull imagery, while a 700-year-old Hindu idol is located at Mount Bromo

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