Ganesh Chaturthi is a popular festival and celebrated in India on the occasion of birth of Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha is having head of an elephant. He is worshipped as lord of prosperity, wisdom and new beginnings. This is the time when people come together with their family members and friends to pay respect to the much-loved deity and pray to him for getting prosperity and success in every sphere of life.
The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is being celebrated for almost ten days, beginning from fourth day of the Hindu month, Bhadrapada, which falls between the months of August andSeptember.The attractively designed idols of Lord Ganesha are placed in the houses, temples and places, which are visited by several people. In order to pay gratitude to Lord Ganesha, people offer prayers, sweets (modaks), fruits and flowers to the deity along with chanting mantras and bhajansin his praise. There's a sense of camaraderie and harmony everywhere and the atmosphere becomes joyful.
Hindu tradition places a great deal of importance on Lord Ganesha. He is revered as "Siddhivinayaka," the giver of success, and "Vighnaharta," the remover of barriers. Worshiping Ganesha during this festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is significant because it allows one to ask for his blessings before starting any new endeavor, whether it be for spiritual, professional or personal reasons.
Ganesh Chaturthi also teaches some great lessons for life. Ganesha's big head denotes wisdom and knowledge, whereas his small eyes teach the art of focusing on a particular thing and thinking profoundly over that issue. The big ears remind one to hear more, while the broken tusk preaches sacrifice and also shows prevailing over bad times. His potbelly indicates contentment and acceptance.
The celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi in most parts of country, specifically in state Maharashtra take place on a large scale with long processions and installations of idols of Lord Ganesha. It essentially fosters community bonding-together feelings, encouraging people to come forward and enjoy the festivity irrespective of their backgrounds. But over the last few years, there has grown awareness about environmental concerns since immersion into water bodies with idols made up of non-biodegradable materials is occurring.
The underlying message of Ganesh Chaturthi is that it is not just a festival.Rather, it is an overview to awaken the characteristics of Lord Ganesha in our daily life so that we can face obstacles with grace, seek wisdom and spread happiness. It is the time for renovation, new beginnings and devotion to the Lord Vighnaharta.
With warm regards
Team Cyber Astro
