Ganpati Bappa Morya
Ganesh Chaturthi also known as “Vinayaka Chaturthi” and is one of the important Hindu festivals celebrated throughout India.
Lord Ganesh is the elder son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, he is also known as “Pratham Pujya” i.e., the first god to be worshipped. Lord Ganesh also referred as “Vighna Vinashak” i.e. the one who destroys all the evils, obstacles and trouble from his devotee’s life.
Therefore, before perusing anything significant, people offer their prayers and seek blessing from Lord Ganesh.
When and how is Ganesh Chaturthi celebrated?
This festival is celebrated in the months of August or September as per the Hindu calendar on Shukla Chaturthi of “Bhadrapada” month.
In this year 2020, Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the 22nd of August. Accordingly, Ganapati visarjan falls on the 1st of September.
On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, devotees place a Ganapati “Murti” i.e., an idol, traditionally made of clay, bring it to their homes and worship it with complete devotion.
Various societies, groups, etc. also organize and establish a Ganpati idol for the general public, commonly referred to as ‘Pandals’.
The Ganpati Murti is worshiped with devotional prayers, chants or songs, commonly known as “Aarti, Mantras or Puja”. During these prayers, flowers; sacred leaves; grass, usually “durya” and sweet dishes, usually “Modak” are offered to Lord Ganesh i.e the idol. This sweet dish is usually distributed among the family members, visitors and friends as “Prasad” i.e. as a token of blessings.
During this festival, people visit the homes of their relatives and friends to seek blessings of Lord Ganesha and wish them happiness and good health. The best way to celebrate Ganesh Chaturhi is with family and loved ones.
Ganapati Visarjan
This festival marks its end with “Ganapati visarjan”. Usually, Ganapati visarjan is carried out after 1 1⁄2, 3, 5, 7 or 11 days of placing the idols.
The idol is carried in a grand public procession with music and groups chanting, people dancing and is immersed in water in ponds, rivers, seas or other water bodies.
This ritual is done to signify the birth cycle of Lord Ganesh just the way he was born of Clay so is the Idol submerged in water.
Why is Ganesh Chaturthi celebrated?
Significance of Ganesh Chaturti in the Indian History…
It is believed to be that this festival has been celebrated since the era of Shivaji Maharaj (1630-1680), later this festival lost state patronage and became a private family celebration.
In 1983, the Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak revived and started the Ganesh Utsav and continued his efforts to launch annual well organized public events.
It is mainly celebrated in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Tamilnadu and West Bengal.
Ganesh Chaturthi is also observed in Nepal and by the Hindu diaspora elsewhere such as in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia and much more countries.
Environmental impact and awareness
Due to environmental concerns, now a days, number of families prefer the idols made of clay, usually referred to as “eco-freiendly Ganesha” instead of using plaster-of-paris and chemical based colours, which is a water pollutant. Also, it has become a trend to submerge the idol in barrel of water at home and use it for gardening.