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Ganesh Chaturthi -- Birth Day of Lord Ganesha
 Ganesh Chaturthi or the birthday
of Ganesha (the elephant-headed God of Wisdom
and Prosperity) falls on the fourth day of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada
(around August-September). It is celebrated all across the country and is the
biggest festival in Maharashtra. So if you are anywhere close to Mumbai,
don’t think twice about moving heaven and earth to be there for Ganesha’s
day. It’ll be a day you shall look back upon with some wonder.
Ganesha -- The Hindu God With An
Elephant's Head.
Ganesha is India’s cutest
god. He has the head of an elephant on which is perched a dainty tiara, four
podgy hands joined to a sizeable belly with each hand holding its own
symbolic object. One has a trishul, or a trident, the second, an ankush,
or goad made from his very own broken tooth, the third hand elegantly holds a
lotus and the fourth a rosary (which is sometimes replaced by modaks –
his favourite sweet).
Ganesha is famous not
only for being a trickster and for his sense of humour, but equally for his
wisdom. He is the son of Shiva (Destroyer in
the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer) and Parvati (Shiva’s consort).
Interesting Tale Mark The Birth Of Ganesha
There is a curiously interesting tale about the birth of Ganesha. It is
believed that once while Parvati was bathing, she created a human figure from
some unguent and balm, gave him life and asked him to guard the door while
she bathed. After a long period of meditation on Mountain Kailash (Shiva’s
abode), Shiva chose that very moment to drop by to see his better half, but
was abruptly stopped by the man-god Parvati had posted at the door. Outraged
by the cheek of this stranger, Shiva cut off his head only to discover that
he had killed Parvati’s son! For fear of enraging his wife, Shiva immediately
dispatched his ganas (attendants) to get him the head of the first living
creature they could find. Well, the first living creature happened to be an
elephant. As instructed, the head was chopped off and brought back to Shiva,
who placed it on Parvati’s son’s body, bringing him back to life. This elephant-headed
god was welcomed into the first family of the Hindu heavens and named Ganesha
or Ganapati, which literally means the chief of the ganas, or the attendants
of Shiva.
Ganesha --The Foremost God Of Hindu Pantheon
This brave
guardian of the door to Parvati’s bath is beheld today as the most auspicious
God of new beginnings. He is worshipped during every festival and before
people undertake a journey or embark upon a new venture. You will also see
him carefully guarding entrances to temples and homes, peeping out of
calendars and happily gracing marriages and other such occasions.
Diverse Images of Ganesha
Varasiddhi Vinayak
is an aspect of Ganesha in which he is shown standing on top of a demon named
Vighnasura who he annihilated. This aspect of Ganesha is worshipped on
Ganesh Chaturthi. In Maharashtra, this festival has assumed epic proportions.
It is a huge community affair and people contribute towards elaborate idols
of Ganesha, pandals (massive, decorated marquees), the puja, the prasad
(sweetmeats offered to the gods but consumed by the people) amongst other
things. In the days of the British Raj, Tilak (a nationalist leader)
encouraged Ganesh Chaturthi and other like celebrations to induce and
reinforce feelings of nationalism amongst his countrymen
The Festive Celebrations
Each locality
makes its own special pandal. People attribute considerable social
significance to the pandals as communities compete with each other to put up
a more outstanding one. Each pandal has a different priest. Amidst much
fanfare and revelry, the priest installs the idol of Ganesha in the locality
to the chanting of shlokas (Sanskrit holy verses).
Special prasad and food
(cooked without onions and garlic) are prepared to mark the first day of the
puja. Aarti (a ritualistic puja with hymns) is performed twice a day – in the
morning and in the evening. Most people of the community attend the evening
aarti. They actually rush home from work to take part in the festivities and
gather around the brightly-lit Ganesha. People offer prasad of modaks
or peras (a type of sweetmeat), coconut, hibiscus or any other red
flower, sheaves of grass, vermilion, turmeric powder and rice. The prasad can
be bought from the little stalls or puja shops all over town.
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