The day Ganesha Chaturthi marks the birthday celebration of Lord Ganesha when he was born twice. It is believed that once Lord Shiva and Ganesha got into a fight. As a result, Shiva sliced off the head of Ganesha. Goddess Parvathi witnessed such a cruel act of her husband, and she furiously turned herself into the destructive avatar of Kali. She threatened to destroy every bit of the Universe since she was sobbing at the death of his son Ganesha.
Lord Shiva then tried to calm the Kali and sent his followers to find a child’s head. He added that they should only bring the head of a child whose mother is lying on the opposite side of her baby. The followers went to many places but couldn’t find any child whose mother was lying in negligence.
Then in the forest, they saw one elephant baby whose mother was in a different direction. Thus they brought the head of the baby elephant and presented it to Lord Shiva. There was not enough time to find more, so Shiva attached the elephant’s head to Ganesha and made him alive.
This day, per the legends, is the same celebrated as Ganesha Chaturthi Festivals . The very first time, the celebration started in Maharashtra when it was the kingdom of Shivaji. Hence, the day is celebrated with fervor in Maharashtra and other states.
The day is observed on the Shukla Paksha Chaturthi, which is the fourth Waxing Moon in August–September. This year, the event will take place on August 31, 2022. It will happen on Wednesday, and hence it will be a significant day since Wednesday is the day of Lord Ganesha. Those who want Ganesha’s grace and their path clear of all obstacles must worship Ganesha this Chaturthi.
The head of an elephant also makes his physical traits unique and distinct. He has a pot belly and a plump body. He has four hands in which he holds a trident, goad, lotus, and a bowl of modaks.
Legend Behind Ganesha’s Birth
The legend says that Goddess Parvathi created Ganesha in the absence of Lord Shiva. She created Ganesha before taking a bath by using the turmeric and sandalwood she applied to her body. She made a child-like figure with it and infused life, creating Ganesha.
One day while taking a bath, Parvathi asked Ganesha to stand at the door and not let anyone enter until she finished bathing. Ganesha loved and respected his mother, and he stood at the door as asked by his mother. Meanwhile, Lord Shiva returned to Parvathi and wanted to meet her. Shiva saw a child standing at the door, stopping him from entering.
The young lad also did not know that Shiva was his father and the husband of his mother. So he was determined not to let Shiva cross the door. Infuriated, Shiva got into a battle with Ganesha, and in huge anger, he cut off his head. When the elephant head was attached and Ganesha was brought back to life, this day was marked as the birthday of Lord Ganesha, which we all celebrate as Ganesha Chaturthi.
At the same moment, Ganesha was blessed by many Devas and offered many powers and weapons. He was also chosen as Ganas’s leader and hence was called Ganpati. He is the god of wisdom, fortune, and prosperity. Today before initiating any auspicious work, people invoke Ganesha, so the work gets completed without any hurdles and negativity.
Ganesha is the one who removes all the negativity and removes obstacles from one’s life.
Ganesha Chaturthi Present Day Celebrations
Ganesha Chaturthi is now celebrated in states such as Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Goa. It is more prominently celebrated in Maharashtra as it was first started there. People start by cleaning their homes and bringing the idol of Ganesha.
They make the lighting arrangements to make the overall place look more beautiful. They go to the artisans and buy a Ganesha idol per their budget. There are also huge idols installed on the streets by the entire colony; people worship them all ten days before they immerse them in water.
Many tourists from all over the world also come to witness this great festivity. The celebration is common in Nepal too. People prepare many kinds of sweets and offer them to Lord Ganesha every day. They dance to Ganesha songs and sing the arti. They then worship him by encircling the diya around the idol. On the final day, after ten days of worshipping and celebration, they take the idol to the nearby lake or river and immerse it in water.
People also sing the Ganesha arti there and worship the Lord one last time. They call aloud “Ganpati Bappa Morya.” They pray to the Lord to come again next year, and the celebration repeats every year.
