We all know Lord Ganesh to be the remover of all adversities and obstacles, and we observe Ganesh Chaturthi for the purpose of paying homage to this particular deity. It is a fact that according to Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesh was born on this day. Individuals usually worship statues or images of this god on this day mentioned in this article. According to many people, Lord Ganesh is accountable for bringing order and harmony in this world, and therefore, they are in the habit of worshiping this god before commencing a new business or a new endeavor.
Ganesh Chaturthi is amongst the most revered personalities in Hindu mythology and he is known for having an elephant’s head as well. This god is likewise the child of the God of Transformation, Shiva, and Parvati, his spouse. We celebrate the birth of Lord Ganesh each year with a festival spanning as many as 10 days. During this time, we are known to perform 4 main rituals, namely, Shodashopachara, Prana Pratishta, Uttarpuja, as well as Ganpati Visarjan.
During this festival, we set up Ganesha deities which are usually made of clay and embellished with lights and flowers in our homes or temporary public sites known as pandals. Following this, the priest is going to conduct Prana Pratishta which happens to be a ceremony where he is going to recite mantras, invoking the presence of God into the deity made of clay. After this, the priest will offer formal prayers to Lord Ganesh in a worship comprising as many as 16 steps which is known as Shodashopachara.
Distribution of Prasad
We also distribute food blessed by God or Prasad throughout the community during each day of this festival. Apart from this, the followers meditate on various aspects of the form of the deity symbolizing more profound spiritual truths, and many likewise prefer to observe fasts.
On the festival’s ultimate day, we perform Uttarpuja which happens to be a ritual that bids farewell to the deity. Following this, we carry the God in a public procession with devotional music known as kirtan to a nearby water body where we will immerse him. We call this custom Ganpati Visarjan symbolizing the return of the god to Mount Kailash which happens to be a summit in the Himalayas where the parents of Lord Ganesh are known to reside.
The importance of Ganesh Chaturthi
We believe that devotees praying to Lord Ganesh will be capable of fulfilling their desires and wishes. The main essence of this festival is that devotees praying to the deity will be free from their sins and they will be able to gain wisdom and knowledge.
Historically, we have celebrated this particular festival since the time of the Maratha king, Shivaji. It was Lokmanya Tilak who was responsible for transforming Ganesh Chaturthi into a general public festival from a private celebration during the freedom struggle of India. In this particular celebration, individuals from all classes of society have the ability to assemble together, offer their prayers, and become united.
