Ganesh Chaturthi: History, Importance and Rituals

 

Want to know when is Ganesh Chaturthi? Read on to learn everything about Ganesha Chaturthi. Ganesh is a Hindu festival celebrated in India. It is celebrated for a week beginning with the sun's arrival in the month of Kartik and ending with the full moon after the death of the god Ganesh. The celebration involves dancing, singing and offering puja. The essence of the festival lies in the prayers and offerings for the deities. Ganesh Chaturthi is the most famous festival for all Hindus. It is celebrated in the month of Chaitra, the month of the harvest. It is considered to be a festival where a great number of people gather to enjoy the festival. This festival is celebrated by Hindus from all over India and abroad. Also, Know Why Lord Ganesha is worshipped first.

The significance of Ganesh Chaturthi is to be an awe-inspiring manifestation of the universal Chaturthi, a Sanskrit word that means “to incarnate God”. Tradition has it that Ganesh is the deity of money, power, and wealth, but the popularity of Ganesh Chaturthi has gone from being seen as a “monumental” event to being seen as a “sacred” one. The popularity of Ganesh Chaturthi is attributed to the fact that it is said to be the incarnation of God.

History of Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi has been one of the most celebrated festivals in India. While kids love hearing about the story of Ganesha, our elders enjoy remembering the golden days. It is crucial to know about Ganesh Chaturthi History and Significance. 

Ganesha being the son of Parvati and Shiva has an interesting story about its birth. It is believed that using the dirt from her body Parvati created Ganesha to protect her while Shiva was not around. He was tasked with keeping an eye on the bathroom door as Parvati took a bath. As soon as Shiva was home and tried entering, Ganesha stopped him since he was unaware of him being Shiva. The following incident made Shiva angry Shiva became enraged and severed Ganesha's head. Parvati became angry as soon as she got to know about the tiff between Shiva and Ganesha. Upon learning the truth Lord Shiva then promised to bring Ganesha back to Parvati. Shiva had informed the devas to look for a child's head facing north but they couldn’t find it. However, they could find an elephant's head. The elephant head was then used to bring Ganesha back by attaching it to the child’s body. 

Importance of Ganesh Chaturthi

All of us have been enjoying the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi all these years however, have we ever wondered, “why is Ganesh Chaturthi celebrated?” The purpose and importance of Ganesh Chaturthi are extremely crucial. 

People who worship Ganesh are said to have their wants and desires fulfilled. The primary meaning of Ganesh Chaturthi is that those who worship Ganesh are cleansed of all misdeeds and led on the road of wisdom and insight.

Since King Shivaji's reign, the event has been observed with complete happiness and extreme energy. Ganesh Chaturthi became a large-scale public celebration when Lokmanya Tilak transformed it into a private celebration into a large-scale public holiday where everyone could take a day off from their school, college, or job and come together to enjoy and pray together during the festival. 

Rituals of Ganesh Chaturthi

Four primary rites are carried out throughout the 10-day celebration. It consists of Pranapratishtha, Shhodashopachara, Uttarpuja, and Ganpati Visarjan. The preparations and excitement for Ganesh Chaturthi begin to build weeks before the event really starts. Artisans curate Ganesha clay idols in various stances and sizes with love and passion. 

Ganesha figurines are placed in exquisitely designed "pandals" at residences, temples, or public places. Additionally, the idol and surroundings are decorated with the help of lights, garlands, and flowers. A priest performs the Pranapratishtha ceremony, invoking life in the deity through mantra chanting.

The idol of Ganesha is then blessed in 16 different ways. The name of this ceremony is Shhodashopachara. People perform religious music, dance to loud noises of dhol, and set off fireworks to mark the occasion. High scale celebrations are a great way to make these ten days memorable. Uttarpuja is the next ritual that is performed at the end of ten days. It involves saying a heartfelt goodbye to Ganesha. The statue is presently submerged in water during the ceremony known as Ganpati Visarjan that follows. People typically chant "Ganapati Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya" in Marathi while submerging it in the water, which translates to "Goodbye Lord, please come back next year."

Cooking delicious modak, ladoos and other sweets while enjoying various games and activities at home, in society or in public places are also part of these memorable ten days. 

How Ganesh Chaturthi Is Celebrated in 6 Different States in India

The celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi can vary from state to state in India. Each state has its own traditions and unique way of celebrating Ganesha’s stay for ten days at their place. 

Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, the statue of Ganesha can be found on every alternative street and almost all houses. People in the streets shout, "Ganpati Bappa Morya, Mangal Murti Morya," the name of Lord Ganesha. The streets are decorated with coloured lights and statues of Lord Ganesha as part of this combination of dance, music, and culture.

Delhi

Similar to this, large Ganesha statues are present throughout the streets and homes of Delhi. In various areas of Delhi, chants are recited and songs are sung during ceremonial occasions. Ganesha statues are used to decorate pandals, and cultural events are planned.

Goa

Preparation for the making of Ganesha idols by local artists is started well in advance, and to make your time more memorable you can go and witness how they are made by visiting any of the local markets. Eco-friendly materials are used to create these idols. Decorating and cleaning homes and visiting friends and family are two ways through which people mark this occasion.

Karnataka

The rituals are different in the southern side of India. Prayers are made to Goddess Gauri, Lord Ganesha's mother, during the event known as Ganesh Habba in Karnataka. Every home makes sweets in some capacity.

Check out to know Why you need Ganesha idol at home.

FAQs

1. Why do we celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi 2023?

Vinayak Chaturthi 2023 is celebrated to remember the significance of Ganesha. It is to offer prayers to Ganesha while remembering him for all the love he has given us. 

      2.What is the history behind the Ganesh Chaturthi?

The history behind Ganesh Chaturthi lies back in the days of Parvati and Shiva. When Ganesha was created to protect Parvati in the absence of Shiva. 

       3.What is the importance of celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi?

People celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi because they believe that by offering prayers to Ganesha they will be able to get rid of their sins and misdeeds carried out in the following year. 

      4.When should I take Ganesh Home in 2022?

The ideal time for Ganpati to come home in 2022 is on August 31 from 11:05 pm to 1:38 pm.