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    The Story Behind Ganesh Chaturthi

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    sai srinivas
    Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. The festival originated in Maharashtra during the Maratha reign and commemorates the story of how Ganesha came to have the head of an elephant. Devotees bring clay idols of Ganesha into their homes for 10 days of festivities including prayers, singing, and offering the god favorite foods like modak. On the final day, the idols are immersed in bodies of water to conclude the celebrations amid dancing in the streets.

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    The Story Behind Ganesh Chaturthi

    Uploaded by

    sai srinivas
    105 views2 pages
    Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. The festival originated in Maharashtra during the Maratha reign and commemorates the story of how Ganesha came to have the head of an elephant. Devotees bring clay idols of Ganesha into their homes for 10 days of festivities including prayers, singing, and offering the god favorite foods like modak. On the final day, the idols are immersed in bodies of water to conclude the celebrations amid dancing in the streets.

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    Ganesh Chaturthi

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    Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. The festival originated in Maharashtra during the Maratha reign and commemorates the story of how Ganesha came to have the head of an elephant. Devotees bring clay idols of Ganesha into their homes for 10 days of festivities including prayers, singing, and offering the god favorite foods like modak. On the final day, the idols are immersed in bodies of water to conclude the celebrations amid dancing in the streets.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    105 views2 pages

    The Story Behind Ganesh Chaturthi

    Uploaded by

    sai srinivas
    Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. The festival originated in Maharashtra during the Maratha reign and commemorates the story of how Ganesha came to have the head of an elephant. Devotees bring clay idols of Ganesha into their homes for 10 days of festivities including prayers, singing, and offering the god favorite foods like modak. On the final day, the idols are immersed in bodies of water to conclude the celebrations amid dancing in the streets.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
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    The Story Behind Ganesh Chaturthi:Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the major festivals celebrated in India with great enthusiasm

    and
    devotion. The festival marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha; the Lord of knowledge, wisdom,
    prosperity and good fortune. The festival is also known as Vinayak Chaturthi or Vinayak
    Chavithi. This day, observed as one of the most auspicious in the Hindu religion, is widely
    celebrated especially in the state of Maharashtra.

    History

    The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi finds its origin in the Maratha reign, with Chatrapati Shivaji
    starting the festival. The belief lays in the story of the birth of Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva
    and Goddess Parvati. Although there are various stories attached to his birth, the one most
    relevant is shared here. Goddess Parvati was the creator of Ganpati. She, in the absence of Lord
    Shiva, used her sandalwood paste to create Ganesha and put him to guard while she had gone for
    bathing. While she was gone, Lord Shiva got into a fight with Ganesha as he did not allow him to
    enter, as per his mother`s orders. Enraged, Lord Shiva cut off Ganesha`s head. When Parvati saw
    this sight, she took the form of Goddess Kali and threatened to destroy the world. This worried
    everyone and they requested Lord Shiva to find a solution and calm the rage of Goddess Kali.
    Shiva then ordered all his followers to immediately go and find a child whose mother has her
    back towards her child in negligence and bring his head. The first child seen by the followers
    was that of an elephant and they, as ordered, cut his head and brought to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva
    immediately placed the head on Ganesha`s body and brought it to life again. The rage of Maa
    Kali was calmed and Goddess Parvati was overwhelmed, once again. All the Lords blessed
    Ganesha and the day is today celebrated for the same reason.

    Celebration

    Ganesh Chaturthi preparations commence from almost a month before the festival. The
    celebrations last for around ten days (from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to Ananta Chaturdashi).
    On the first day a clay idol of Lord Ganesha is installed in homes. Homes are decorated with
    flowers. Temples witness the visit of large number of devotees. Poojas are performed and
    bhajans are chanted. Often, families gather together to celebrate the festival. Localities organize
    and arrange for pandals and install large idols of Lord Ganesha to celebrate the festival with
    friends and family. On the final day of the celebrations, the idol of Lord Ganesha is taken on the
    streets. People exhibit their enthusiasm and joy in the form of dancing and singing on the streets
    along with the idol. The idol is finally immersed in the river or sea. The day witnesses a large
    number of devotees expressing their happiness and offering their prayers.

    Ganesh Chaturthi Pujan

    Ganesha pujan starts from installing a clay idol of Lord Ganesha in your home. Various dishes
    are cooked for offering (bhog). The idol is given a bath with pure water and then decorated with
    flowers. Jyoti is lite and then the aarti begins. Various bhajans, and mantras are chanted at this
    time. It is believed that chanting the mantras with complete devotion brings life to the idol. It is
    also believed that during this period, Ganesha visits the home of his devotees and bring
    prosperity and good fortune with him. For the same reason the day is observed as a very
    auspicious day.

    Festival Dishes
    Although there are a large number of sweets offered to Lord Ganesha during the pujan, but
    Modak is known to be the lord`s favourite sweet and is therefore one of the main dishes made on
    this day. Other dishes include Karanji, ladu, barfi and pede.

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