GANESH CHATURTHI
Ganesha Chaturthi, the great Ganesha festival, also known as ‘Vinayak Chaturthi’ or ‘Vinayaka Chavithi’ is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. It is observed during the Hindu month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September) and the grandest and most elaborate of them, especially in the western India state of Maharashtra, lasts for 10 days, ending on the day of ‘Ananta Chaturdashi’.
History about Ganesh Chaturthi
Ancient mention of Lord Ganapati is found in Rigveda. In ancient texts like Vajsaneyi Samhita, Mahabharata and Yajnavalkya Smriti, Lord Ganapati is referred to as Vinayaka. Lord Ganesha appears in the medieval Puranas as “god of success, obstacle remover”. The Narada Purana, Skanda Purana and Brahma Vaivarta Purana also highly praise Lord Ganesha.
Archaeological and sub-general evidence suggests that Ganesha became popular and that this god was worshiped before the 8th century BC and numerous images of him can be traced back to the 7th century and earlier. Also the carvings of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain temples like the Ellora Caves in the middle of the 8th century show that Lord Ganesha is revered sitting with a large Hindu goddess.
Lokmanya Tilak was the first to establish large public images of Lord Ganesha in the pavilion and other celebrations during the festival at the Bombay Presidency. Lokmanya Tilak was the first to establish large public images of Lord Ganesha in the pavilion and other celebrations during the festival at the Bombay Presidency. Making idols of Lord Ganesha before the celebration of Dhis festival in India usually begins with “Padya puja” or worship of the feet of Lord Ganesha.
The Grand Celebration
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated at home and in public by local community groups mainly in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa and in the southern states of South Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
Apart from this, this festival is celebrated by Shri Maharashtra Panchayat in Pakistan by an organization of Maharashtrians in Karachi. And this festival is also celebrated by British Hindus living there in the UK. And a festival called ganesh chaturthi is also celebrated in Canada, Malaysia, Mauritius and Singapore.
A life-like clay model of Lord Ganesha is made 2-3 months prior to the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. The size of this idol may vary from 3/4th of an inch to over 25 feet.
On the day of the festival, it is placed on raised platforms in homes or in elaborately decorated outdoor tents for people to view and pay their homage. The priest, usually clad in red silk dhoti and shawl, then invokes life into the idol amidst the chanting of mantras. This ritual is called ‘pranapratishhtha’. After this, the ‘shhodashopachara’ (16 ways of paying tribute) follows. Coconut, jaggery, 21 ‘modakas’ (rice flour preparation), 21 ‘durva’ (trefoil) blades and red flowers are offered. The idol is anointed with red unguent or sandal paste (rakta chandan). Throughout the ceremony, Vedic hymns from the Rig Veda and Ganapati Atharva Shirsha Upanishad, and Ganesha stotra from the Narada Purana are chanted.
For 10 days, from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to the Ananta Chaturdashi, Ganesha is worshiped. On the 11th day, the image is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied by dancing, singing, to be immersed in a river or the sea. This symbolizes a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes of all man. All join in this final procession, shouting “Ganapathi Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya” (O father Ganesha, come again early next year). After the final offering of coconuts, flowers and camphor are made, people carry the idol to the river to immerse it.
The whole community comes to worship Ganesha in beautifully done tents. These also serve as the venue for free medical check-ups, blood donation camps, a charity for the poor, dramatic performances, films, devotional songs, etc. during the days of the festival.
Recommended Activities
On the Ganesh Chaturthi day, meditate on the stories connected with Lord Ganesha early in the morning, during the Brahmamuhurta period. Then, after taking a bath, go to the temple and do the prayers of Lord Ganesha (Ganesh Puja Vidhi). Offer Him some coconut and sweet pudding. Pray with faith and devotion that He may remove all the obstacles that you experience on the spiritual path. Worship Him at home, too. You can get the assistance of a pundit. Have an image of Lord Ganesha in your house. Feel His Presence in it.
Don’t forget to look at the moon on that day; remember that it behaved unbecomingly towards the Lord. This really means avoid the company of all those who have no faith in God, and who deride God, your Guru, and religion, from this very day.
Take fresh spiritual resolves and pray to Lord Ganesha for inner spiritual strength to attain success in all your undertakings.
May the blessings of Sri Ganesha be upon you all! May He remove all the obstacles that stand in your spiritual path! May He bestow on you all material prosperity as well as liberation!
The Surprise Facts About Ganesh Chaturthi
1. It is considered inauspicious to look at the moon during the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi. This is because according to Hinduism, when people celebrate the colourful celebration of this festival and smoke on delicious sweets, they have to make sure that they do not look at the moon as it is considered unfortunate to do so.
2. The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is first celebrated during the period behind the era of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. During that time Lord Ganesha was considered to be his family deity. Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated in Pune in the 1600s during the Maratha Empire. After this the Peshwa continued to celebrate the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi.
3. Mumbai’s Lalbaghcha Raja organizes a dissolution procession of India during the celebration of this festival. Locals like fishermen and sellers then promised to get a Ganapati and set up an idol of Lord Ganesha at the place to celebrate this festival.
4. Child Gangadhar Tilak started celebrating the festival in 1893 to fight against the British. In 1893, Swatantrya Lokmanya Tilak transformed the private celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi from a private celebration into a grand public event to unite India against the British.
5. Other countries like China, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Nepal and Afghanistan also celebrate this festival and worship Lord Ganesha. But the depiction of the celebration of ganesh chaturthi is different from the Indian incarnation in Malta to be seen from one region to another.
Sourced from: Das, Subhamoy. “The Ganesh Chaturthi Festival.” Learn Religions, Aug. 26, 2020, Celebrating the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival (learnreligions.com). / Information About The Ganesh Chaturthi (thenicee.com)