Ganeshotsava
A symbol of wisdom, good luck and prosperity Lord Ganesha is the most worshipped Hindu god. He is known by 108 different names like Gajanan, Vinayak, Vighnaharta etc. Marking the birth of this Lord of wisdom is the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi which is celebrated across the country and abroad for 10 days as Ganeshotsava with fervor and grandeur. Regarded as the remover of all obstacles and ‘prathamapujya’, any festive occasion or new beginning starts with offering prayers to Lord Ganesha.
Birth of Ganesha
Devi Parvati moulded a boy’s idol out of dirt off her body while bathing, and cut Her little finger to sprinkle nectar on it. It became a beautiful boy. The Mother instructed this son of Her’s to stand guard till She finished Her bath. Shiva, who had been in Samadhi for days, returned at that time but as Ganesha didn’t know Him stopped Him from entering. Angry Shiva severed the head of Ganesha after a combat. Later, to calm down the furious Devi Parvati, Shiva promised to bring him back to life. Devas were sent to search for a dead person whose head is to north. But the devas could manage only the head of an elephant which Shiva fixed on the child and Ganesha was alive again.
It is said that Devi Parvati created Ganesha on the request of devas for a’ vighnakartaa ‘ (obstacle creator) for demons and a ‘vighnaharta’(obstacle averter) for devas and devotees.
Celebration
The festival starts from the fourth day of Shukla paksh of Bhadrapad month (overlapping August and September) and ends on Anant Chaturdashi, lasting for 10 days. In India it is majorly celebrated in states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana. Lokmanya Tilak revived the celebration of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav in his fight against colonialists.
The excitement of Ganesha Chaturthi settles in weeks before the festival actually begins. Artisans start preparing clay idols of Ganesha in different poses and sizes. The Ganesha idols are installed in beautifully decorated pandals, at homes, temples and localities. The statue is adorned with flowers, garlands and lights.
Important rituals
There are four main rituals during the festival- Pranapratishtha -- The process of infusing the deity into a murti or idol. Shodashopachara -- Prayers are offered in 16 different ways. Uttarpuja – Ritual after which the idol can be shifted post Pranapratishtha. Visarjan -- Immersion of idol in the river.
Playing religious songs, dancing to drum beats, lightning of fireworks all add to the festive mood. Ganesha’s favourite dishes like modak and pooran poli etc. are prepared. On the tenth day on Anant Chaturdashi the idols are taken out in huge colorful and musical processions and immersed in local water bodies.
This 10 day period is vital for Tantra initiates as Sri Ganesha has a prominent place in the Tantric traditions. Meditating on Sri Ganesha and invoking his protection can remove unnecessary hurdles in a seeker’s path. The occasion should be utilized to pray for such heightened devotion as Sri Ganesha has for his parents.
Author Ms Hema Trivedi is an ardent devotee of Sri Krishna.