In 2021, Ganesh Chaturthi festival celebration started on 10th September and it will continue for a period of 10 days with great deal of devotion.
This is one of the important Hindu festivals and the same is widely celebrating to honour the birthday of elephant-headed Lord Ganesha.
God Ganesha is the younger son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and is widely known as Ganapati or Vinayaka.
Ganesh Festival is considered auspicious and the worshipers believes that the Lord Ganesha descends on the earth to give blessings to his devotees during this period.
Based on the Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesh is considered as “Vigana Harta” (one who removes obstacles) and “Buddhi Pradaayaka” (one who grants intelligence).
Please find below details of the three different versions available in the Hindu Mythology about the birth of Ganesha:-
Version No. 1:-
Goddess Parvathi created Ganesha from the dirt that has emitted from her body to utilize him as a guard to protect her till she completes her bath.
Version No. 2:-
Ganesha did not allow Lord Shiva to enter his house while Ganesha was guarding the house to protect the Goddess Parvathi. Ganesha’s unilateral action caused widespread anger from Lord Shiva and he immediately severed Ganesha’s head after the bitter battle between Ganesha and Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva’s inhuman act against Ganesha caused widespread outrage from his wife Parvathy and the Lord Shiva promised her that the Ganesha will live again. To pacify Parvathy’s outrage and anger, Lord Shiva fixed a dead elephant’s head on Ganesha’s head and thus brought him back to life.
Version No. 3:-
Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi created Ganesha as per the request from the Devas. Devas wants Ganesha as a vighnakartaa (obstacle-creator) of “Rakshasas”. At the same time Devas wants Ganesha to be a vighnahartaa (obstacle-averter) of Devas at all times.
Hindus are believing that worshiping of Lord Ganesha illuminates their mind, providing wisdom, prosperity and good fortune.
That is one of the reasons, before praying any other god/goddess or conducting any religious function/rituals, Hindus are praying Lord Ganesha first.
Details of the four main rituals conducted during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival:-
- Pranapratishhtha is a process of infusing the deity into a murti or idol.
- Shhodashopachara is a 16 forms of paying tribute to Ganesha.
- Uttarpuja is a Puja after which the idol could be shifted after it’s infusion.
- Ganpati Visarjan is basically the immersion of the Idol in the river/pool/sea.
Lord Ganesha’s Idols are basically made by using clay materials. After worshiping the installed Ganesha Idol, the same is immersing in the pond, lake, sea, etc. Just after the immersion, clay idol automatically dissolves in the water and form as a silt layer in the water.
Olden days Ganesh Chaturthi festival was celebrating from the house in a low key manner. But the late Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak was the main instrumental in changing this festival from a private festival to a grand public festival in the intention of bridging the gap between Brahmins and non-Brahmins communities from the grass root level.
Lord Ganesha is widely popular in Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Nepal, China, U.S.A and many other African countries too.
During Ganesh Chaturthi festival period, Hindus are preparing various types of sweets as a Prasadam. Many people are making Ladoo sweets in a large scale and distributing to their friends, relatives, neighbour and well wishers. Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations are incomplete without offering “Modaka” to Lord Ganesha.
