Importance of 10 Days Ganesh Chaturthi Celebration
Every individual on earth is connected in some or the other way to spirituality. Some are followers of idol worship whereas some believe in performing yajna. There are some devotees who love to connect with god by participating in rituals and celebrating festivals related to god.
Our beloved and the most auspicious Lord Ganesha is the important Hindu god whose presence spreads and attracts positive vibes. There are many occasions to remember Lord Ganesha that are celebrated in various ways in different parts of the country. Ganesha Chaturthi is one of the main festivals celebrated with much fervor around the country by Hindus.
The festival marks the appearance or the birth of Lord Ganesha as per the Hindu texts. There are many stories popular about the existence of Lord Ganesha which explains the reason, motive and the ways in which he appeared. There is a popular story that explains the reason behind the formation of the elephant-head of Ganesha.
Ganesha Chaturthi is also referred to as Vinayak Chaturthi, or the birthday of Lord Ganesha which is an adventurous myth in itself. The adventure lies in the fact that the human-head of Vinayak was replaced by elephants’ head. It is a ten days celebration which falls on the fourth day of Bhadra month every year. This Bhadra month is generally according to the Hindu calendar which is usually during the month of August-September.
The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is rejoiced throughout the year with huge energy. The festival is believed to be started by Marathas so the celebrations are indeed grand and special in the state of Maharashtra.
Importance of Ganesha Chaturthi
As we all know Lord Ganesha is the remover of obstacles and bestower of good fortune. So, it is said that Lord Ganesha travelled from Kailash to earth on this day to bless the entire mankind with happiness, lucky charm and positivity. The celebration creates an optimistic environment in the surroundings and is beneficial for all the members of the family, society and the people involved in the poojan and celebration. After 10 days people believe Lord Ganesha returns to his abode Kailash Parvat.
How is Ganehsa Chaturthi celebrated?
During the festivity of Ganesha Chaturthi people bring fruits, coconut, flowers, sweets (especially modaks) and other eatables home. With immense faith they light up fire to burn the camphor, dhoop and offer all the eatables to Lord Ganesha. After decorating the house temple, roli, tilak, water, and other things are offered as part of the ritual followed by singing various verses, shlokas and Ganesha arti.
All the family members get involved in the worship ceremonies, other rituals and decorations. At the end bhog or prasadam is distributed to all the family members and guests. These are the basic rituals done during Ganesha Chaturthi.
After this the most interesting and jubilant part comes which is celebrated with music, drumbeats and dance. The procession of Lord Ganesha’s giant statues are carried out on a vehicle to the sacred nearby water body. The statue is immersed into the sacred river and all the people bid goodbye to Ganehsa. This ceremony is known as the Visarjan ceremony.
Highlights of the Ganesh Chaturthi
There are many activities done as part of the ritual on the 10 days of Ganesha Chaturthi. Some of the major highlights include:
- People bring idols of Lord Ganesha home with high zest and zeal.
- Lots of excitement can be seen among devotees who dance and sing to the beats of drums.
- People decorate their houses and temples.
- Install the clay idols in the house temple for 10 days and worship it.
- Last, after the 10th day the Visarjan ceremony is carried out when the idol is carried out to the sacred water body and immersed into it.
- The procession is carried out on the road where people dance, sing, play Holi and bid farewell to Lord Ganesha.
Benefits of Ganesha Chaturthi
- Regular worship for 10 days of Lord Ganesha removes the obstacles and problems from life.
- Brings home good fortune, health, wealth and prosperity.
- Ganesha's blessings protect family members from the negativities and mishappenings.
- Also a blessing for unmarried girls who experience delay in message. This occasion is the auspicious time to make Lord Ganesha happy and seek his blessings.
Things not to be done on Ganesh Chaturthi
The pious day of Ganesh Chaturthi also has some cons to it. As per the texts, seeing the moon on this day is a bad omen. It is said that a person who sees the moon on this day becomes subject to the Mithya Dosha. According to this dosh, a person is falsely put in a condition where he or she is blamed for stealing something.
Solution
To get rid of the Mithya Dosh, a person should listen to the story of Ganesha Chaturthi just after seeing the moon. It is believed that hearing the story of Gansehsa Chaturthi relieves the person of Dosha or disrespect.
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