Ganesha Chaturthi 2017
A Day of New Beginnings
Lord Ganesha, The Remover Of Obstacles
The finest social festival of all, Ganesha Chathurthi, is going to be celebrated on 25th August, 2017 with great pomp and show. The festival is celebrated on the fourth day of the waxing moon period which lasts for ten days. People cutting across cultural and religious barriers celebrate the festival that is commemorative of Lord Ganesha’s birthday. He is the God of Wisdom and beginnings. Lord Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, also the first to be worshipped. He is the patron of arts and letters. He has a voracious appetite, loves sweets like ladoos and dumplings.
People break coconuts in temples as a mark of obeisance to the Lord. This is to crush all types of negativity that engulf us wherever we go. It also helps to remove obstacles from path as coconuts are symbols of purity and divinity.
Lord Ganesha, The Ruler Of Ganas
He was created on this day by his mother Goddess Parvathi by collecting the turmeric paste from her body and giving it a human form.
The Goddess after creating the little Ganesha asked him to watch over the door while she took bath. Lord Shiva, unaware of the handsome boy guarding his house entered only to be prevented. Infuriated, Shiva struck a mighty blow on the lad and a fight ensued. Lord Shiva cut off Ganesha’s head and Goddess Parvathi was inconsolable. Lord Shiva asked his followers to bring a creature that they first came across and it happened to be an elephant whose head was fixed on the body. He also called his followers to respect him as their leader and since then he came to be known as Ganapathy, the ruler of Ganas.
Ekadant
Once Sage Vyasa asked Lord Ganesha to transliterate the great epic Mahabharata for him. He agreed but set a condition that the great sage must recite the verses without any pause. To tackle this problem, Sage Vyasa said that he needs to understand every verse before writing it down and whenever he needed a break, he would recite a rather tough verse to the Lord. While writing the verses, He broke the tool that he used and without a second thought, broke his own tusk and continued writing.
Once, the moon laughed at Ganesha when He was unable to walk because he had overeaten at Kubera’s house. This angered the Lord and He cursed the moon would turn black and remain invisible. The moon pleaded asked for forgiveness after which He said that the moon will fade and grow, wax and wane after every fifteen days.
Click Here To Know How To Worship Lord Ganesha On Ganesha Chaturthi Day And The Puja Vidhi
How The Little Mouse Became His Mount
Mushika Vahana
Gajmukhasur was a demon, who was a devotee of Lord Shiva. He worshipped Shiva for a boon that no god or human would be able to destroy him but also was warned that he must not misuse the blessing. However, he showed his ugly side and destroyed people and their homes, Lord Shiva sent Ganesha who turned the demon into a mouse. But he also blessed him by making him His permanent mount (Mushika vahana).
He is Adi Bhagwan or First of all gods. He is worshipped first before the other gods and the reason for Om, a mantra having high potential that refers to soul or Brahman.
Performing rituals on the day of Ganesha Chathurthi will definitely incur the blessings of this powerful Lord, the destroyer of hurdles, arrogance, pride, infatuation and greed.
