Sachin Tendulkar's Test retirement: how India is honouring him– in pictures

A fan writes a message on a poster of Tendulkar displayed during an event organised by a non-governmental organization for the blind in Bangalor Photograph: Aijaz Rahi/AP

India cricket fans in Hyderabad hold placards and gather to cut a cake in honor of the Little Master Photograph: Mahesh Kumar A./AP

Indian artist Ranjit Dahiya works on a giant mural of Sachin Tendulkar on the wall of a sports club building in Mumbai Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/AFP/Getty Images

At the Madan Mohan Malaviya Stadium in Allahabad on the eve of Diwali, fireworks and light decorations, pay homage to Sachin Tendulkar Photograph: Sanjay Kanojia/AFP/Getty Images

Schoolchildren hold aloft posters as the nation comes to a standstill Photograph: Arun Sankar K/AP

An man rides a horse past a sand sculpture of Tendulkar created by Sudarshan Pattnaik on a beach in Puri Photograph: Biswaranjan Rout/AP

Students stand near giant banners showing Sachin Tendulkar, right, and India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, which were put up on a wall of their school in Ahmadabad. The start of the Test match – 14 November – is also the birth anniversary of Nehru, which is celebrated as Children's Day in the country Photograph: Siddharaj Solanki/AP

Indian labourers move past a giant banner in Mumbai Photograph: Rajanish Kakade/AP

Artist Jagjot Singh Rubal gives a final touch to his painting of Tendulkar in Amritsar Photograph: Sanjeev Syal/Demotix/Corbis

Indian school students wear masks of Sachin Tendulkar at an event to honor him in Nagpur Photograph: AP

In Amritsar, kitemaker Jagmohan Kanojia holds up a kite with a portrait of Tendulkar and a message that reads: "Never say farewell" Photograph: Prabhjot Gill/AP

A patriotic fan outside Eden Gardens Photograph: Piyal Adhikary/EPA

Are the advertisers paying homage or jumping on the Tendulkar fever bandwagon? Photograph: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images

Indian students of Allahabad University and cricket fans make a grand sand sculpture of Tendulkar Photograph: Sanjay Kanojia/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Sanjay Kanojia/AFP/Getty Images

So the first day of the Test comes around and it's no surprise to see a huge queue of cricket fans snaking around Tendulkar's hometown stadium for which tickets could have been sold 10 times over and still not satisfied demand Photograph: Rafiq Maqbool/AP

In the queue there are Tendulkar t-shirts ... Photograph: Rafiq Maqbool/AP

Last-minute face painting ... Photograph: Rafiq Maqbool/AP

And supportive banners aplenty Photograph: Divyakant Solanki/EPA

And Parked school buses play their part too … Photograph: Arun Sankar K/AP