A COLOURFUL spectacle for a Hindu elephant god which has now hit a milestone anniversary returned to a seaside town.

The Ganesha Visarjan festival is a vibrant and significant ceremony marking the end of ten days of prayer and celebration of the birth of Ganesh Chaturthi.

This year’s took place event took place on a section of beach near Clacton Pier and was attended by Tendring Council chairman Jeff Bray.

During the celebration offerings were made to Ganesh, the god of wisdom and prosperity, before a statue of the elephant god was carried into the sea and immersed in the water.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

The Hindu Cultural and Heritage Centre in Clacton has been supporting the ceremony for the last seven years but this year’s event commemorated its 20th anniversary.

Hundreds of people attended the celebration, which was organised by the Sri Karpaga Vinayagar Temple, and guests were even treated to packed lunches.

Speaking at the event councillor Jeff Bray commented on the vividness of the up-lifting festival.

He said: "I am struck by the colour and the vibrancy.

"It is just fantastic and I thank you all so much.

"I wish you a fabulous day as you celebrate the very last of your 10 day festival of Ganesh.

"I wish you all the best. Thank you very much everybody."

Event organiser Marisamy Maheswaran, of the Sree Karpaga Vinaayagar Temple and Sri Merupuram Maha Pathirakali Amman Temple, was more than delighted with how the day went and the number of people who attended.

He said: “The event went very well, lots and lots of local residents participated, and they are always very welcome to this event.

"Most of them offered fruits and flowers to Lord Ganesha.

“Between 1500 and 2000 people came and they all enjoyed it, and we provided 2,500 packed lunches called Prasad.

"Without the Gazette article we would not have this many people

“I would like to say millions of thanks and thanks to Susila Karia.”