Happy Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi is observed on September 5 and it is a ten day Hindu festival which honours the bith of Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati who were born on the fourth day of Magh and especially during that time there is an interconnection between Ganesh and Chaturthi. Ganesh Chaturthi or Ganesh Utsav festival was first celebrated by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja, the great Maratha ruler and since then it is being continued. This festival is popularly also known as ‘Vinayak Chaturthi’ or ‘Vinayaka Chavithi’.

This auspicious festival is mostly observed during the month of Bhadra i.e. mid-August or mid-September. This much awaited auspicious occasion arrives on the fourth day of Bhadarva Shukla-Paksh according to the Hindu calendar.  There is a myth saying that Lord Ganesha were created out of sandalwood paste which was been used by Parvati and further she breathe life into that statue.

Further Parvati gave him the task of guarding the door when she bathed and strictly told him not to allow anyone. Meanwhile Lord Shiva came back from meditation desired to see his wife but was stopped by Ganesha who had no clue that he was his father. He obeyed his mother instructions and did not allow Shiva to enter. This led to the combat between a son (Ganesha) and his father (Shiva). In anger Shiva chopped off his son’s head and later realized that he was Parvati’s son.

Shiva promised her that their son would be alive and further instructed all the devas to search for the head of any dead person. The important rule was that dead person should be facing the North side. Sadly, devas found only the head of an elephant, and Shiva fixed it and declared that from this day their son would be called Ganesha, which means Lord of Ganas the foremost God of Hindus. Lord Ganesha is known by 108 different names and is the symbol of arts, sciences and the God of wisdom.