Ganesh Chaturthi

Yesterday we celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi.

We have an adorable elephant headed deity called the Ganesha. He is knowledge giver, obstacle remover and harbinger of well being. Everybody wants Lord Ganesha to reside in their homes, workplaces and business centres.

Mythological Legend : Lord Ganesha was born to Lord Shiva and Goddess Gauri. However, when Gauri’s brother Shani Dev came to see the infant, the baby’s head immediately separated from the body. Shani Dev was most remorseful of his bad eye. Gauri was inconsolable. So Lord Vishnu came to her aid. He chopped off an elephant’s head and attached it to the baby’s shoulder.

The elephant head symbolises treasure of knowledge and memory. When Rishi Vyasa Dev conceived the epic Mahabharata he invited Lord Ganesha to write as he recited or narrated the verses. Ganeshji agreed but with a condition that Rishi Vyasa should not take a pause inbetween. In turn, Rishi Vyasa took a promise from Lord Ganesha that he would not write down any verse without understanding the full meaning of it.

Rishi Vyasa cleverly used such difficult expressions that during the process of writing Lord Ganesha had to stop him quite a number of times to grasp the significance of the verses. In the meanwhile, Rishi Vyasa got plenty of time to conceive the succeeding ones. So both the wise men kept their respective promises and made space for each other to create the epic.

On the fourth day (Chaturthi) of the month of Bhadrapada of the lunar calendar, Ganeshji is invited to every home with great pomp and show. His clay idol, beautifully decorated, is sat on the asana or mandapa. He resides for ten days. On the tenth day the immersion takes place. The immersion implies that He has to return again the year next and so on and so forth.

Huge clay idols of Lord Ganesha are also placed in palatial pandals for community worship where thousands of devotees visit for darshan. The most famous and biggest community worship of Ganeshji takes place in Laalbagh, Mumbai. The State of Maharashtra celebrates Ganapathi or Ganesh Festival with loads of joy and devotion. So do the other States.

Ganeshji loves sweets, especially, laddus and modaks which are offered to him. These are home made as well as store bought. The process of residing Ganeshji in the household is known as sthapana. Sthapana has to be done on Chaturthi which has its timelines.

This time the Chaturthi started in the afternoon of the 18th of September and ended at 10.54 AM of the 19th of September. I was almost ready to go to office thinking that I will do the welcoming worship in the evening. But checking with Panditji or our house priest revealed the exact timings of Chaturthi. I, therefore, took a short leave from office.

Sthapana meant cleaning the room where He will sit, decorating Him and other deities with flowers, lighting Diya and offering Bhog Prashad. I have Ganeshji’s idol as well as painting at home. He resides permanently. So, there is no immersion.

Amusing Anecdote : Every year during Chaturthi a mice always visits my household, plays around and leaves soon after. I am a bit upset that this year it never happened so. A mice is the vessel or Vahana of Lord Ganesha. The vessel of all the deities are animals and symbolic.

In the evening, I prayed and my brother-in-law played the conch. Playing the conch is very auspicious for the homestead and a great exercise for the lungs. We have a conch which is perhaps hundred years old as it is inherited from my paternal grandmother.

We do all the worship in my mother’s room so that the good vibes of the Puja or worship embrace her. Usually I have a simple Puja. But this time I made an elaborate Bhog Prashad which consisted of Jodhpuri laddus, assorted modaks and patisas or son papdi. We buy the sweetmeats from special and well known shops. Earlier I used to prepare the laddus at home for offering.

Lord Ganesha has one hundred and eight names signifying his bounties. Every pious ceremony, be it marriage or housewarming or setting up of new business, has to start with His name. There is a temple in Rajasthan where every day thousands of invitation cards and letters are received for Lord Ganesha. The temple priest opens each of them and whispers the invite in his ears for his blessings.

I played chants in the morning and evening on Chaturthi in honour of the Lord. Yesterday I distributed the bhog to all in office and at home. It was rejoice and devotion both.

Trivia : In the household and workplaces Ganesha is always worshipped in a sitting posture. In the business places a standing or dancing idol can also be placed. Ganesha, in his rudra roop or as a warrior, should never be placed at home, work or business places.

Jai Shri Ganesh

Glory to Lord Ganesha

We have a concept of Restricted Holiday which means whosoever wants can take off from Office for the occasion. I did not take a full off but celebrated the joyous occasion equally in office with my colleagues and at home with my family.