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
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
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
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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.
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.
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.
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