Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the popular festival in India for few states as there are other popular festival in other state. It depends on culture of individual states to celebrate their choice of festival as there are many festival round the year. Short term Idol worship culture in India has come right when we were ruled under British kingdom. It was organised as spiritual festival where people of our country used to plan the action against British kingdom. Hence forth this culture continued for the years and it is going so.
Idol worship is not recommended as per Vedas (Body of Knowledge). It is offensive to make idol and worship and then demolish them. Worshiping is only allowed for Deity which is established through a proper Vedic process.
Anyway Lord Ganesh is known for wisdom, removes obstacles to the people who offers prayer/worship to him.
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!!!
