Legend

Traditional Ganesha Hindu stories tell that Lord Ganesha,son of goddess Parvati consort of Shiva. Parvati created Ganesha out of sandalwood paste that she used for her bath and breathed life into the figure. She then set him to stand guard at her door while she bathed. Lord Shiva, who had gone out, returned and as Ganesha didn't know him, didn't allow him to enter. Lord Shiva became enraged by this and asked his follower Ganas to teach the child some manners. Ganesha who was very powerful, being born of Parvati, the embodiment of Shakti, defeated Shiva's followers and declared that nobody was allowed to enter while his mother was bathing. The sage of heavens, Narada along with the Saptarishis sensed the growing turmoil and went to appease the boy with no results. Angered, the king of Gods, Indra attacked the boy with his entire heavenly army but even they didn't stand a chance. By then, this issue had become a matter of pride for Parvati and Shiva. Angry Shiva severed the head of the child. Parvati seeing this became enraged. Seeing Parvati in anger Shiva promised that her son will be alive again. The devas searched for the head of dead person facing North, but they found only the head of a dead elephant. They brought the head of the elephant and Shiva fixed it on the child's body and brought him back to life. Lord Shiva also declared that from this day the boy would be called Ganesha (Gana Isha : Lord of Ganas).

According to the Linga Purana, Ganesha was created by Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati at the request of the Devas for being a Vighnakartaa (obstacle-creator) in the path of Rakshasas, and a Vighnahartaa (obstacle-averter) to help the Devas achieve fruits of their hard work.

Date

The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi, the fourth lunar day of the waxing moon fortnight. The date usually falls between 20 August and 20 September. The festival lasts for 10 to 12 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi.

Celebration, rituals and tradition

2011 India's Biggest Ganesh Murti (more than 70 feet) in Vishakhapatnam

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrated inVadodara

Weeks or even months before Ganesh Chaturthi, artistic clay models of Lord Ganesha are made for sale by specially skilled artisans. They are beautifully decorated and depict Lord Ganesh in vivid poses. The size of these statues may vary from 3/4 of an inch to over 70 feet. The tallest Ganesha Idol made which stood 117 feet tall was situated in the city of Visakhapatnam in 2012.

Ganesh Chaturthi starts with the installation of these Ganesh statues in colorfully decorated homes and specially erected temporary structures mandapas (pandals) in every locality. The pandals are erected by the people or a specific society or locality or group by collecting monetary contributions. The pandals are decorated specially for the festival, either by using decorative items like flower garlands, lights, etc. or are theme based decorations, which depict religious themes or current events.

The priest, usually clad in red or white dhoti and uttariyam (Shawl), then with the chanting of mantras invokes the presence of Ganesha using the statue as a channel, or body for his energy. This ritual is the Pranapratishhtha. After this the ritual called as Shhodashopachara(16 ways of paying tribute) follows. Coconut, jaggery, modaks, durva (trefoil) blades of grass and red flowers are offered. The statue is anointed with red unguent, typically made of kumkum and sandalwood paste. Throughout the ceremony, Vedic hymns from the Rig Veda, the Ganapati Atharva Shirsha Upanishad, and the Ganesha stotra from the Narada Purana are chanted. There are certain methods on how to celebrate the festival including how to perform the Ganpati Staphna (Idol Installation), perform the Ganesh Visarjan (Immersion) and other rituals and traditions which should make a part of your festivity.

Celebrations in parts of India and other countries

Domestic celebration in Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, most Hindu families also install their own small clay statues for worship on Ganesh Chaturthi. As per the tradition of their respective families, the domestic celebrations come to end an end after 1,3,5,7 or 11 days when the statue is taken in a procession to a large body of water such as rivers or sea for immersion. Due to environmental concerns, a number of families now avoid the large water bodies and instead immerse the statue in a bucket or tub at home. After a few days the clay is used in the home garden. In some cities, a public eco-friendly process is used for immersion.

Domestic celebration in Andhra Pradesh

In Andhra Pradesh, Clay Ganesh (Matti Vinayakudu in Telugu) and Turmeric Ganesh (Siddhi Vinayakudu in Telugu) is usually worshipped at homes along with plaster of paris Ganesha

Festival dishes

Ganesh Visarjan in Mumbai

                               The main sweet dish during the festival is the modak (modak in Marathi, modakam/kudumu in Telugu, modaka/kadubu inKannadakozhakatta or modakkam in in Malayalam and modagam in Tamil). A modak is a dumpling made from rice flour/wheat flour with a stuffing of fresh or dry-grated coconut, jaggery, dry fruits and some other condiments. It is either steam-cooked or fried. Another popular sweet dish is the karanji (karjikai in Kannada) which is similar to the modak in composition and taste but has a semicircular shape.

In Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, modakkam (rice flour dumplings stuffed with coconut and jaggery mixture),Laddu, Vundrallu (steamed coarsely grounded rice flour balls), Panakam (jaggery, black pepper and cardamom flavored drink), Vadapappu (soaked and moong lentils), Chalividi (cooked rice flour and jaggery mixture), etc., are offered to Ganesha along with Modakams. These offerings to god are called Naivedyam in Telugu. Traditionally plate containing the Modak is filled with twenty-one pieces of the sweet.

Celebrations in Tamil Nadu

Ganesh Chaturthi is also celebrated in Tamil Nadu. Here it is known as vinayakachaturthi or pillayar chaturthi and the festival falls on the fourth day after new moon in the month of aavani. On this day ganesh idols made of clay are worshipped in all homes. It is known as kaliman pillayar. ganesh is decorated with garlands and Bermuda grass known asarukampul(அருகம்புல் ) in tamil.Modak,ladoo and other dishes are offered to ganesha.People throng ganesh temples all day .Famous ganesh temples in state will be decked up with devotees all day. Large ganesh idols are installed in public places in the state particularly in Chennai and the idols are not usually more than 13 feet high. Idols are usually made of clay and paper machete as plaster of paris idols are banned by the state government .In many places idols are made of coconuts and other organic products. The idols are worshipped for some days in pandals.and are immersed in the bay of Bengal the following sunday. The Tamil Nadu police department makes elaborate arrangements for the festival. Ganesh chaturthi has become one of the major festivals in tamil nadu especially Chennai

Ganesh idol in salem, Tamil Nadu

Celebration in Kerala

Kerala is a state where ganesh chathurthi is celebrated in a great pomp.It is also known as vinyakha chathurthi or lamboodhara piranalu. It falls in the month of chingam . People worship idols of ganesha and do milk abhishekam. Temples are very crowded and people give for nivedeyam . In each locality their would be fairs,concerts,dance and skit. In the city of thiruvanathapuram a grand procession is held from the pazhavangadi ganapathi temple to the Shankumugham beach with tall statues of ganesh made of organic items and milk which immerced into the sea. Elephant worship is done all over Kerala. In the temples peoples break thousands of coconuts for removing sins.Grand feasts are given to people after nivedyam. Streets are fully decorated with flowers and rangolis.

Ganesh Chaturthi in Goa

Ganesh Chaturthi is the most popular and extravagant festival celebrated by the Hindu Goans.Locally known as Chavath inKonkani(Devanagari:चवथ,Romi lipi:Chovoth)and is also known as Parab(Parva,or an auspicious celebration).Preparations begin a month before,and the actual festivities begin on the third day of lunar month of Bhadrapada,on this day Haritalika or Gauri with Shiva is worshiped by women,which also includes fasting.On the day of festival,elaborate Pujas and feasts are organised,Arati is one of the major attraction of the festivities.Many instruments which are unique to Goa like Ghumot,Shamel, and other classical instruments such as cymbals,Pakhawaj etc are played.Decorations,fireworks,gifts,and sweets play a major role during the festivities.Harvest festival known as Navyachi Pancham is celebrated on the next day,newly harvested paddy is ceremoniously brought home from the fields or temples(where Puja is held on a community level) and a Puja is conducted. Most of the idols are immersed either in the sea,rivers or tanks and wells on the second day,whereas some places festivities may run for five,seven,nine or eleven days.

An artist at work,Margao, Goa

Ganesh Chaturthi has a long history in Goa,it predates the Kadamba era.Goa Inquisition had banned all the Hindu festivals,and heavy restrictions where imposed on the Hindus who did not convert to Christianity.But Goans did not stop practicing their culture. Many families worship Ganesha in the form of Patri(leaves used for worshiping Ganesha or any other deity),a picture drawn on paper,small silver idols,or in some households Ganesha idols are even hidden,this is a remarkable thing about Ganesh festival in Goa.The reason for this was,ban on clay Ganesha idols,or festivities as a part of Inquisition of the Jesuits,many familes have still kept the tradition alive.^[Another striking feature about Chavath of Goa is,unlike Maharashtra, its more a family affair,and a very sentimental for the Goans. It's generally a celebration of the joint family,some families of 1000 or more members,still celebrate the festival together with great fanfare in their ancestral homes.Many such families are found in Goa.^[Goan Catholics also take part in the festivities in many places.

Public celebrations

Public celebrations of the festival are hugely popular, with local communities (mandalas) vying with each other to put up the biggest statue and the best pandal. The festival is also the time for cultural activities like singing and theater performances, orchestra and community activities like free medical checkup, blood donation camps, charity for the poor, etc.

Today, the Ganesh Festival is not only a popular festival, it has become a very critical and important economic activity for Mumbai, Pune, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Bangaloreand Chennai. Many artists, industries, and businesses survive on this mega-event. Ganesh Festival also provides a stage for budding artists to present their art to the public. In Maharashtra, not only Hindus but many other religions also participate in the celebration like Muslims, Jains, Christian and others.

Outside India

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in the UK by the migrant Hindu population as well as the large number of Indians residing there. The Hindu culture and Heritage Society, UK - aSouthall based organisation celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi for the first time in London in 2005 at The Vishwa Hindu Temple. The Idol was immersed in the river Thames at Putney Pier. Another celebration organised by an Gujarati group has been celebrated in the Southend-on-Sea which attracts over 18000 devotees. Annual celebrations also take place on the River Mersey at Liverpool.

The festival is similarly celebrated in many locations across the world. The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA, an organisation of Hindus based in the US organises many such events to mark the Hindu festivals.

Tamil dancers on the streets of paris during 2009 ganesha festival

In USA, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated by various associations of people from India. (Various Indian Associations of North America and in Temples across USA.)

The Philadelphia Ganesh popularly known as PGF is the largest Sarvajanik (fully contributed by public funds) Hindu festival in North America. Since 2005 the festival is conducted every year in Bharatiya Temple, Chalfont, Pennsylvania. The 10 days are marked by processions, devotional programs, cultural events, India filmi-orchestra and a weekend carnival. While the Marathi community plays a big role in organising the festival, participation from all communities such as Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, North Indian, Bengali etc. is seen as the reason for its success and uniqueness.

In Canada, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated by associations of Marathi-speaking people. (MBM in Toronto, MSBC in Vancouver, etc.)

Celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in Mauritius dates back to 1896. The first Ganesh Chaturthi Puja was held in the 7 Cascades Valley next to Henrietta village by the Bhiwajee family who is still celebrating this pious festival after more than a century. Over the years the festival gained such popularity on the island that Mauritian government has attributed a public holiday for that day.

In Malaysia and Singapore, the festival is more commonly known as Vinayagar Chakurthi because of the relatively larger Tamil-speaking Hindu minority among the other South Asian ethnic groups. It is very common to see pictures or statues of Lord Ganesha at the entrance of homes, business premises and schools. These idols are usually decorated with flower garlands alongside offerings of fruits and sweets. Most Ganesha temples mark Vinayagar Chaturthi with morning prayers, abhishegam (ritual bathing of the deity) and free vegetarian lunch for devotees and the poor. Chariot processions organised by Ganesha temples in the evenings often attract huge crowds of devotees and tourists.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesha Chaturthi (गणेश चतुर्थी) is the Hindu festival celebrated in honour of the god Ganesha, the elephant-headed remover of obstacles and the god of beginnings and wisdom. The festival, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). The date usually falls between 19 August and 20 September. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period).

The festival involves installing clay Idols of lord Ganesh in public pandals (temporary shrines), which are worshipped for ten days with different variety of herbal leaves, plants and immersed at the end of the festival in a water(lake) along with the Idol. After adding herbal and medicated plants and leaves(patri) in lakes, the water in the lake become Hygienic. This was in practice because, in early days people used to drink lake water, and to protect people with infections and viral diseases especially in this season, this tradition was introduced. Some Hindus also install the clay images of Ganesha in their homes. It is believed that Ganesha bestows his presence on earth for all his devotees during this festival. The festival is celebrated as a public event since the days of Shivaji (1630-1680).

While celebrated all over India, it is most elaborate in Maharashtra and other parts of Western and Southern India. Outside India, it is celebrated widely in Nepal and by Hindus in the Unitedstates, Canada, Mauritius, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand,Cambodia, Burma, Fiji, Trinidad & Tobago, and Guyana.

Observed by	Hindus
Type	Religious/folk
Celebrations	Setting up Pandals, street processions and idol immersion
Begins	Bhadrapada shukla chaturthi
Ends	Anant Chaturdashi
Date	August/September
2013 date	9 September
2014 date	29 August, Friday
Duration	5-7 days,10-12 days
Frequency	annual

Happy Vinayagar Saduthurthi

Kudumulu

Kudumulu is a special recipe to be prepared on the occation of Vinayaka Chavithi. The Ingredients needed for this recipe is Rice Flour (2 cups), Water (1 Cup), Salt, Grated Jaggery (1 Cup), Sesame seeds (1 Cup),  Fresh coconut (½ cup-grated), Cardamom Powder (¼ tea spoon)

Preparation Method of Kudumulu:

Boil water, add some salt and rice flour to it. Keep the bowl closed for few minutes. Roast the sesame seeds and let them cool completely. Grind sesame seeds to a coarse powder. Add grated jaggery and coconut and cardamom powder and grind them so that all mixed together well. Take small portions of cooked rice in your palm, make a depression in the centre, fill it with the mixture and close it. Steam these in a cooker.

Payasam

Payasam can be also spelled as Pasham. Payasam is a special recipe made on the ocation of Vinayaka Chavithi. The Ingredients needed for this recipe is wheat flour (1/2 cup), rice flour (1/2 Cup), cashew nuts (50g), jaggary (200g), ghee (3 table spoon), and Grated Coconut (3 table spoon)

Preparation Method of Payasam:

Mix the wheat flour to a chapathi dough. Make the dough in to small roles and add the dry wheat flour so that the roles doesn't stick to each other. Fry the raisins and cashew nuts in the ghee and keep it a side. Now take 3 cups of water in a bowl and bring it to boil and add the jaggary to it. when the jaggary is completely melt add the wheat roles which we made earlier cook it for about 10 min.

Now take a bowl and added the rice flour to it and mix it with water until it becomes like a iquid. Pour this liquid to the jaggary and wheat roles while pouring you keep on strilling so that no lumps are formed. Cook it for about 15 min untill the mixuture thick enough and Add the cashew nuts and raisins and greated Coconut.

Vinayaka Pooja

Vinayaka Puja in Telugu

Vinayaka Puja is a festival puja, in which knowledge about flora is passed on from one generation to another in the form of a tradition. God Vinayaka is worshiped by all and more interestingly by the children.

How To perform Vinayaka Puja

Before starting the Vinayaka Pooja take a ritual bath and wear new clothes. Clean the puja mandapam, Place the clay Vinayaka idol and other pooja items there. Place a betel leaf before the god. Make a Turmeric Ganapathi with turmeric and water. Place kumkum on it and decorate it with flowers. Perform Paupu Ganapathi Puja, then perform Vinayaka Chavithi Pooja, then Chant Vinayaka Astottara Shatanama Stotram and other Ganesha Stotrams, after that hear Vinaya Chavithi Story and finish the pooja with Vinayaka Aarti.

Commander of Vighnas.

Vighna : Means some obstacle that would come for any work we would want to do before the work it self gets started. That is you will get lot of troubles before you start the work and finally you will not be able to complete the work. Vighnas will never allow you to finish the work as expected by you.

Once all the gods, sages meet Shiva and pray him and ask him to appoint someone as a head to the Vighnas. Kumaraswamy comes forward and asks his father to give the head of vighnas post to him as Gajanana is short and fat. But Gajanana(Ganesha) also wants the post. So Shiva puts them to a test. The test is to go around all the worlds and  to bath in all the holy rivers present in those worlds and return. Whoever comes first will be appointed as the head of Vighnas.

Listening to which Kumaraswamy sits on his vehicle Peacock and flies for completing the test. Ganesh on the other hand feels sorrow approaches his father and prays him saying, “you know that iam fat, short and cannot move as fast as Kumaraswamy. So I request you to advice me on how to win this competetion.”

Lord Shiva responds to his prayer and says that if you recite the NARAYANA MANTRAM and do pradakishna to parents( circling around the parents) it is equal to bathing in all the holy rivers. Shiva teaches Ganesha Narayana mantra and Ganesh reciting the mantra does the pradakshina to his parents. Because of the affect of the mantra and pradakishna, Kumaraswamy always sees his borther Ganesh to finish the bath and leave as he tries to enter for a bath in any of the holy river.

Kumaraswamy returns to kailasam and tells his father to forgive him of his ignorance in recognizing his elder brothers capability and requests him to place Ganesha as the Head of Vighnas.

So Ganesh is named as the head of the Vighnas and hence called VIGHNESHWAR( LORD OF VIGHNAS). This ceremony of placing Ganesha as the head of the Vighnas was done on Bhadrapadha sudha chaviti and from that day on it is celebrated as vinayaka chaturthi or ganesh chaturdi or vinayaka chaviti. All the people, gods, sages etc of all worlds presented Ganesha with lot of different food items like Bananas,Coconuts, sweets like Laddu,kudumulu etc and Ganesh ate most of them. He wishing to seek the blessings of his mother and father goes to them with his big stomach. He tries to take their blessing by doing sashtanga Namaskaram (sashtanga Namaskaram: where in the persons lies down on the floor with his hand stretched over the forehead, and his face, stomach legs, all touch the ground), but because of his stomach if he tries to keep his hand on the ground his legs would raise and if he places his legs on the ground his hands would raise. Looking at the way Ganesha was doing the namaskara the MOON which resides on the head of lord Shiva laughs and Ganesha is subjected to DISHITI(also known as NAZAR in hindi, you can say as to look at one to cause harm to him, feel jealous and would like that some harm would happen to him) Which causes the stomach of Ganesh to break open and Ganesha dies.

Looking at his dead son Parvati gets angry and then puts a curse on Moon that “As her son died because of the Dishti by Moon, the one who would from now on see Moon will be falsely alleged (blamed) (NEELAPANINDA causing pain to them, i.e.the one who would look Moon will be held responsible for the bad deed or crime that they have not committed)”.

At the same time the famouse seven sages (saptarushis) were doing pradakshina(circling around)  the fire along with their wives. The fire god(Agnideva) gets attracted to the wives of sages and would want to spend time with them. But afraid of the curse that the sages would give if he tries to do it he refrains himself. Knowing this Swahadevi the wife of lord Agni, tries to bring happiness to her husband, transforms herself to look like the wives of the sages and spends time with her husband. Swahadevi transforms to look like the wives of six sages except for ARUNDHATI(the famous sati) . The seven sages by chance see this and think that it is their wives that are present with lord Agni and leave their wives. This was the result of the wives seeing the Moon after the curse of Parvati. 

The wives of seven sages go to Brahma and pray him of their innocence. Shiva who knows everything, calls for the seven sages and pacify them by narrating the truth that it was infact the wife of Agni who transformed herself to look like the wives of the sages. Then Brahma along with all the others goes to Kailasam and gives life to the dead Ganesha and prays Parvati to withdraw her curse.

Parvati relieved of the pain, is happy to see her son and so she reduces the intensity of the curse by stating that “ the curse would prevail only on the day, her son was dead because of Moons DISHTI” i.e on the 4th day of Bhadrapada Masam. (Bhadrapada sudha chaviti). So people from that day onwards refrained themselves from looking at the moon on the day of vinayaka chaviti.

This went for some time. In Dwapara yuga(there are four YUGAS) ,one day sage Narada came to see Lord Krishna in the city of Dwaraka. He informed him of the curse of Parvati, narrated the whole story and adviced him not to see the moon today as it was vinayakchaviti. Krishna made this matter to be known to all the people of his kingdom and he also was careful not to look at moon. Krishna loves to drink milk and so goes to the cow yard and milks the cow and when he is about to drink the milk, he sees the reflection of moon in it. He immediately remembers what Narada had said and prepares himself to face the false allegation he might be dragged into.

Some time passes by and once a person by the name SATRAJITT visits sri Krishna and shows him a diamond by the name of SAMANTAKA MANI, which was given to Satrajit by the Lord Sun. The speciality of the diamond being, it gives out eight kgs of gold every day. Then Krishna asks Satrajit to give to the king for the best use for the welfare of the people. But Satrajit refuses and Krishna lets it go.

Once Prasena, the brother of Satrajit, goes hunting wearing the diamond. Looking at the diamond and presuming it to be meat a Loin attacks and kills Prasena and takes the diamond. A bear has a look at the diamond with the Loin and fights with  it and takes the diamond to his home which is a cave and ties it to the cradle in which his daughter is sleeping for her to play. The next day as Prasena doesn’t return, Satrajit blames that Krishna has killed his brother and taken the Diamond as he as refused to give to Krishna. Listening to which Krishna understands that, this blame was due to looking at the reflection of the moon in milk during vinayachaturthi. Inorder to free himself of the blame, Krishna enquires on what happened and goes to the forest looking for Prasena.

In the forest at one place he finds the dead body of Prasena and foot marks of a loin. He follows the foot marks of Loin and after some time comes to a place where he sees that there has been a fight between a Lion and a Bear. He then follows the footsteps of the Bear and reaches the cave of the bear. Krishna enters the cave and sees the diamond tied to the cradle. He tries to take it and the girl start crying hearing which the bear comes and attacks Krishna. Krishna fights back with the bear. The fight goes on for 28 days and the bear looses all it energy and realizes that Krishna is none other than RAMA. The bear is none other than JAMBAVANTHA the king of bears and aide of Rama in Tretayuga. He then remembers how after the war with Ravana Rama grants a boon to Jambavanta , and Jambavanti foolishly asks for a duel with Rama. Which Rama grants and says that his boon would be fulfilled later and it is know that Krishna has come to fulfill the boon and both Rama and Krishna are the avatara(forms) of Lord Vishnu. He then prays to Krishna who relieves Jambavantha of all the pains. Jambavanta along with the diamond also gives him his daughter Jambavati and requests him to accept her as his wife. Krishna agrees and returns to Dwaraka along with the diamond and the girl.

He summons Satrajit returns the diamond and narrates him the whole story. Listening to which, Satrajit repents and offers Krishna not only the diamond but also his daughter Satyabhama. Krishna rejects the diamond and accepts Satyabhama as his wife.

All the people, sages then pray to Krishan and tell him that because you are the almighty you were able to prove your innocence. But what about normal people like us. Please show us some means to over come the blame if we look at the Moon on vinayaka chaviti. Krishna pleased by the prayers, gives a boon that those who perform the Ganesh Pooja and  would listen to the story of birth of Ganesha and the story of smantakamani and put the AKSHINTALU( rice which is prepared by mixing it with pasupu(turmeric)  and are used to do pooja) on their heads would be freed from the curse if they accidentally see the Moon.