Ganesh Chaturthi (also called Ganeshotsav) is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha. While held all over India, it is at its most elaborate in Maharashtra, and other areas which were former states of the Maratha Empire. The festival is observed in the hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). This typically comes sometime between 20th of Aug and 15th of September. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Ananta Chaturdashi.

Rituals

During the festivals, a household worships an idol of Shri Ganesha made from clay. The worship happens for 1 day in South India, but in western states of Maharashtra and Goa, the worship may last from 2 to 7 days.

The main sweet-dish during the period is modakas , also known as modagams in South India and karanjis . A modaka is a sort of dumpling made from rice flour with a stuffing of coconut, jaggery and some other condiments. It can be either steam-cooked or fried and the coconut can be fresh-grated or dried-grated. A karanji is similar but has the shape of the 4th day moon.

There are also public celebrations of the festival, with local communities (mandals) vying with each other to put up the biggest idol. The festival is the time for a lot of cultural activities like songs and dramas and orchestra.

Legend

Legends say that lord Ganapati was created by goddess Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva. Parvati created Ganesha out of the sandalwood dough that she used for her bath and breathed life into him. Letting him stand guard at the door she went to have her bath. However, while Parvati was taking her bath, Lord Shiva happened to come there and as Ganesha didn't know him, he didn't allow him to enter the house. As a result, Lord Shiva got angry and he Shiva severed the head of the child and entered his house. But after realizing that he had beheaded his own son, lord Shiva fixed the head of an elephant in place of Ganesha's head. In this way, Lord Ganesha acquired the image of the elephant-headed God.

History

According to the historian Shri Rajwade, records reveal that Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated even during the reigns of Satavahana, Rashtrakuta and Chalukya. There are also references in historical records to similar celebrations during Peshwa times, Lord Ganapati being the family deity of the Peshwas. After the end of Peshwa rule, from 1818 to 1892 Ganesh Festival remained a family affair in Maharashtra.

It was around 1893, during the growth of nascent Indian nationalism, that the radical nationalist Bal Gangadhar Tilak began to organize the Ganesh Utsav as a social and religious function. Since then, Ganesh Chaturthi has been celebrated throughout Maharashtra with great community enthusiasm and participation.

See Also

Hindu festivals

External Links

Ganesha Chaturthi - Maharashtra Tourism