Ganesh Chaturthi is an auspicious Hindu festival. This festival is observed all over India as well as in many other places all over the world, with great devotion and joy. This festival is also known as Vinayak Chaturthi. It is a ten-day long festival celebrating the arrival of the Lord to earth from Heaven with his mother Parvati. Ganesh Chaturthi is the festival of observing the birth anniversary of lord Ganesh. There are four main rituals performed over the ten days, namely ‘Pranapratishhta’, ‘Shhodashopachara’, ‘Uttarpuja’, and ‘Visarjan’. Lord Ganesh is known as the God of ‘wealth’, ‘science’, ‘knowledge’, ‘success’, and ‘wisdom’. It is believed that the devotees are never been involved into sin and he is the protector and protects us from evils and help us overcome problems. During the Pranapratishhta, chanting from Vedas called mantras are done to give life to the idol.
Lord Ganesh is the younger son of Lord Siva and Goddess Parvati. Regarding the birth of Ganesh, there is a legend that Parvati made an idol of a little boy with the dust and dirt on her body which she loved so much that she gave life to the idol and called him her son and named him Ganesh. She once instructed him not to allow anyone inside until she completed her bath. In the meantime, Lord Shiva, who was out, reached there and wanted to enter the house. Ganesh stopped him. Being angry Lord Siva severed the head of Ganesh after a little tiff. When Parvati got to know this, she became very annoyed. To make Parvati cool, Siva promised to bring Ganesh back to life. Other Gods and Goddesses were requested to search and bring the head of a boy who would be found in the North direction. However, no head could be found other than the head of an elephant which was finally cut. The head was then fixed on Lord Ganesh by Lord Siva and thus little Ganesh got his life back.
There is another legend where it is said that the king of Heaven, God Indra and other Gods requested Lord Siva to make Ganesh the guard of the door of Heaven to save them from the attacks of Demons. Thus, he was identified as Vighnakar. He is also popularly known as Vighnavinashak, Ganapati among a huge list of names by which he is fondly called by his devotees.
Lord Ganesh is worshiped in the month of Bhadra, date generally falls between middle of August and middle of September. Modak, puranpali, and karanji are generally offered in the Worship. Excitement among the followers starts right from the making of clay idols of various sizes and poses by Artisans. For installation of clay idols different pandals are decorated by flowers, garlands, and light. This festival is mainly observed in states like Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
The ritual ends by the immersion of the idols in water. Since, it is the greatest festival of Maharashtra, hence a popular slogan of love for the Lord in Marathi can be heard during the immersion of the Lord in the state. The devotees request the good Lord, the Father of all beings on Earth, to come back again the next year by crying out loud, “Ganapati Bappa Moriya, puchchhe varshe Laukariya”
History says the festival was initiated at the time of Sivaji Maharaj. During the freedom struggle, Lokmanya Tilak could make it the festival of all, irrespective of cast, creed, and religion.
May the Lord shower his blessings on all of us.
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