As tensions between Pakistan and India heighten following the latter’s revocation of Article 370 to rob occupied Kashmir of its autonomy, Hindu lord Ganesha has sported an army look on his birthday — Ganesha Chaturthi.
Ganesha, a Hindu lord, is worshipped in the religion for several of his attributes, including the remover of obstacles. He is the patron of arts and sciences and the lord of intellect and wisdom. As the god of beginnings, he is honoured at the start of rites and ceremonies.
With Hindu devotees time and again erecting mighty statues of Ganesha sporting various looks across India, one that shows him in an Indian army uniform and holding a gun has garnered immense attention.
While the move appears to be an attempt to boost the morale of Indian soldiers amid cross-border tensions and skirmishes across the Line of Control (LoC), it has not been very well received by netizens.
Statues of Ganesha donning cricket jerseys during the ICC World Cup or other important tournaments is also a common sight in India.
