Ganesha festival by Lalita Bang

What is Ganesha festival?

Ganesha Chaturthi is a 10 days long Hindu festival celebrated to honour the elephant-headed God Ganesha’s birthday. He is the younger son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

When is Ganesha Chaturthi in 2023?

The date of Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the fourth day of the waxing moon period (Shukla Chaturthi) in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada. This is August or September each year. The festival is usually celebrated for 10 days, with the biggest celebration taking place on the last day called Anant Chaturdashi. In 2023, Ganesh Chaturthi is on September 19.

How it is celebrated?

The 10 day long festival is celebrated with people bringing Ganesha clay idol at home, in offices or local area pandals (temporary stage). Also, families decorate around the Ganesha idol and place offerings in front of lord Ganesha. Offerings and prasada from the daily prayers, which are distributed from the pandal to the community, include sweets such as modaka, dry fruits, coconut sweet. The festival ends on the tenth day after start, when the idol is carried in a public procession with music and group chanting, then immersed in a nearby body of water such as a river or sea, called visarjan on the day of Anant Chaturdashi.

Historically, the festival has been celebrated since the time of king Shivaji. It was during India’s freedom struggle that Lokmanya Tilak changed Ganesha Chaturthi from private celebration to a grand public festival where people of the society can come together, pray and be united.

Significance of Ganesh Chaturthi

It is believed that devotees who pray to Ganesha are able to fulfil their wishes and desires. So, the main essence of Ganesha Chaturthi is that devotees who pray to him are set free of sins and it leads them on the path of knowledge and wisdom.

Story of Ganesha Chaturthi

Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati and he is the brother of Karthikeya.

Ganesha Chaturthi symbolises the Ganesha’s rebirth and to represent new beginnings. It is believed that Parvati (Shiva wife) created Ganesha while Shiva was out for meditation. She moulded clay in the shape of boy and gave it a life. Parvati set her new son as guard while she bathed and asked him to not allow anyone in. Unexpectedly, Shiva came and outraged by Ganesha’s claim that he is the son of Parvati, unaware of the fact that Parvati made him while he was away. Ganesha followed her mother's instructions and stopped Lord Shiva from entering the home. In anger, Shiva cut off Ganesha’s head.

At the commotion, Parvati ran from her bath and threatened to destroy the whole world. Hence, Shiva asked his disciples to bring the head of first animal they see. They came upon an elephant during the search and brought its head to Shiva who then joined it to his son’s body. All deities blessed Ganesha and thus we celebrate the day as Ganesh Chaturthi.

I will end this article by praying to Lord Ganesha to destroy all our sorrows and shower his blessings on all of us, happy Ganesh Chaturthi to all!