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Ganesh Chaturthi Festival

Ganesh Chaturthi

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Ganesh Chaturthi, Karnataka is celebrated with prayers to Gowri Puja, the mother of Lord Ganesh. The married women pray to Goddess Gowri for getting the blessings of a lasting marriage life and marital bliss. Ganesh Chaturthi, Karnataka is celebrated in different temples of Lord Ganesh in Karnataka, where there are prayers being offered to Lord Ganesh and her mother. In Karnataka, Ganesh Chaturthi is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi and is among the celebrated Festivals in Karnataka.

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated throughout the country and is an important festival of the Hindus. The festival is celebrated on the birthday of Lord Ganesh, who is the god of wisdom and prosperity. It is celebrated on the fourth day of the bright fortnight of the moon. This day is also the period from new moon in the month of Bhadrapada. The celebration goes on for five, seven or ten days. Somewhere, it is stretched to twenty one days. But generally it is celebrated for ten days. By following the right hand path, the first day is considered as the most important day while, those following the left hand path, it is the final day.

Ganesha is considered as the god of wisdom and prosperity. He is invoked at the start of any auspicious work done by the Hindus. His blessings are necessary before fulfilling one's wishes. One will find many stories in the Hindu mythology with Lord Ganesha. He has his vehicle as Moosak or rat and likes to eat Modaks or Indian sweets.

A story goes that Parvati made Ganesha out of the sandalwood dough, which was used by her while bathing. She breathed life into him. Parvati made Ganesha stand at the door and went for bath. When Shiva, her husband returned, he saw Ganesha. Ganesha, who had not seen Shiva before, stopped him. This infuriated Shiva, who chopped off the head of Ganesha and entered the house. Parvati on knowing this was totally distraught, asked Shiva to give her son new life. Shiva then cutoff an elephant head and planted on the body of Ganesha.

Location info:

Address:Ganesh Chaturthi,Karnataka,India
District: Karnataka,India
Best time to visit: October-March.

Climate/Weather:

During winter temperatures range from 32 degrees Celsius to below 20 degrees Celsius,Summer Average temperature is 34 degrees Celsius

History:

In 1893, Lokmanya Tilak, an Indian nationalist, social reformer and freedom fighter Tilak chose Ganesha as a rallying point for Indian protest against British rule because of his wide appeal as "the god for Everyman".Ganesha Chaturthi as a National Festival "to bridge the gap between the Brahmins and the non-Brahmins and find an appropriate context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them" in his nationalistic strivings against the British.

Importance:

According to the Holy Hindu scriptures, Lord Ganesha (or Ganapati) (the names mean "Lord of Ganas" , Ganas are the worshippers of Lord Shiva. According to the legend, Lord Shiva, the Hindu God of resolution, was away at a war. Pavarti his wife wanted to bathe. She had no one to guard the door to her house, she conceived of the idea of creating a son who could guard her.

 

Parvati created Ganesha out of the sandalwood paste that she used for her bath and breathed life into the figure. She then set him to stand guard at her door and instructed him not to let anyone enter. In the meantime, Lord Shiva returned from the battle. Ganesha and Shiva did not know each other. Ganesha stopped Shiva from entering Parvati's chamber. Shiva, enraged by Ganesh's impudence, took his trident(Trishul) and cut off Ganesha's head. Pavarti emerged to find Ganesha decapitated and flew into a rage. She took on the form of the Goddess Kali and threatened destruction to the three worlds of Heaven, Earth and the subterranean earth.

Method of Celebration:

  • Panchamukha Heramba Ganapati Temple in Bangalore
  • Shri Jambu Ganapati Temple in Bangalore
  • Dodda Ganapati Temple in Bangalore
  • Ananthanagar Ganapati Temple in Bangalore
  • Sri Ganapati Mutt in Mangalore
  • Sri Mahaganapathi Temple in Karkul Taluk
  • Gokarna Ganapati Temple in Gokarna

Culture of Festivities:

Potters and their clan plan the making of Ganesh Idols, 2-3 months prior to Ganesh Chaturthi, life-like clay models of Lord Ganesha are made for sold by specially skilled artisans. They are beautifully decorated & depict Lord Ganesh in various poses, colours themes. The size of these statues may vary from 3/4th of an inch to over 25 feet.While celebrated all over India, it is most elaborate in Maharashtra,Goa ( Biggest festival for Konkani people all over the world ) Karnataka and other areas which were former states of the Maratha Empire.

 

Outside India, it is celebrated by Newars in Nepal. Ganesh Chaturthi starts with the installation of these Ganesh statues in colorfully decorated homes and specially erected temporary structures mantapas (pandals) in every locality. The mantapas are decorated specially for the festival, either by using decorative items like flower garlands, small banana saplings, lights, etc or are theme based decorations,which depict religious themes or current events. The statues are worshiped with families and friends. The priest, usually clad in red silk dhoti and shawl, then invokes life into the statue amidst the chanting of mantras.

This ritual is the Pranapratishhtha. After this the ritual called as Shhodashopachara (16 ways of paying tribute) follows. The offerings include 21 durva (trefoil) blades of grass, red flowers, coconut, jaggery, 21 modakas. The statue is anointed with Kumkum & Sandalwood paste . Vedic hymns from the Rig Veda, the Ganapati Atharva Shirsha Upanishad, and the Ganesha stotra from the Narada Purana are chanted. Along with Ganesha, Gouri idol is also place in South Indian families and worshipped. Gouri Vrata is performed as "Mangala Gauri" by women for good life and prosperity.

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