Ganesha is perhaps the
most popular deity in the Hindu pantheon
Ganesha, the Elephant-Headed
Hindu God
Ganesh Chaturthi Gifts
by Rukmini
Lord Ganesh:
One of the most popular Gods
in India, lord Ganesh or Ganpati is considered a symbol of wisdom
and a bringer of good luck. He is revered across India as a great
clearer of obstacles. Lord Ganesha is the elephant-headed God. He is
worshipped first in any prayers. His Names are repeated first before
any auspicious work is begun, before any kind of worship is begun.
It is said that his elephant head epitomizes everything related to
wisdom-small shrewd eyes, long ears that miss nothing, a long nose
that can smell out anything fight and his vehicle, a mouse, reflects
how much importance a wise man gives to the smallest of life forms.
Ganesha is the first God. Riding on a mouse, one of nature's
smallest creatures and having the head of an elephant, the biggest
of all animals, denotes that Ganesha is the creator of all
creatures. Elephants are very wise animals; this indicates that Lord
Ganesha is an embodiment of wisdom. It also denotes the process of
evolution--the mouse gradually evolves into an elephant and finally
becomes a man. This is why Ganesha has a human body, an elephant's
head and a mouse as His vehicle. This is the symbolic philosophy of
His form.
Mythology:
Centuries ago during a war
between the Gods and the Demons, Lord Shiva was away for a long
time. His wife, Goddess Parvati, afraid of being alone for an
extended period used her divine powers and created a son, Ganesh,
and gave him the responsibility of protecting the house. When Lord
Shiva and his army, returned victorious to his home, Parvati was in
her bath, and Ganesh had been strictly instructed not to allow
anyone in. Angered by Ganesh's refusal to allow him in to the house,
Lord Shiva and his army chopped off the boy's head. When Parvati
came out of her bath, she was shocked and grieved to see her son
dead. Lord Shiva, to pacify, her proclaimed that the head of Ganesh
would be replaced by that of the first creature that came up the
hill. As luck would have it the first visitor to the hill was an
elephant and his head was promptly cut off and placed on that of
Lord Ganesh, and life was restored to the son of Lord Shiva and
goddess Parvati. To pacify his wife further and compensate for the
act of killins own son, Lord Shiva bestowed upon Ganesh the powers
of a God and blessed him that henceforth no activity will begin
without invoking your name and blessings. Since then, it is said, no
new venture - the inauguration of accompany, the opening of a shop,
the foundation of a building, entering a new home - is deemed
complete by Hindus without a Ganesh puja.
He is very fond of sweet
pudding or balls of rice flour with a sweet core. On one of His
birthdays He was going around house to house accepting the offerings
of sweet puddings. Having eaten a good number of these, He set out
moving on His mouse at night. Suddenly the mouse stumbled--it had
seen a snake and became frightened--with the result that Ganesha
fell down. His stomach burst open and all the sweet puddings came
out. But Ganesha stuffed them back into His stomach and, catching
hold of the snake, tied it around His belly. Seeing all this, the
moon in the sky had a hearty laugh. This unseemly behaviour of the
moon annoyed Him immensely and so he pulled out one of His tusks and
hurled it against the moon, and cursed that no one should look at
the moon on the Ganesh Chaturthi day. If anyone does, he will surely
earn a bad name, censure or ill-repute. However, if by mistake
someone does happen to look at the moon on this day, and then the
only way he can be freed from the curse is by repeating or listening
to the story of how Lord Krishna cleared his character regarding the
Syamantaka jewel. This story is quoted in the Srimad Bhagavatam.
Lord Ganesha was pleased to ordain thus. Glory to Lord Ganesha! How
kind and merciful He is unto His devotees!
The Festival:
Ganesh Chaturthi is one of
the most popular of Hindu festivals. This is the birthday of Lord
Ganesha. It is the day most sacred to Lord Ganesha. It falls on the
4th day of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada (August-September). It
is observed throughout India, as well as by devoted Hindus in all
parts of the world. Milk is offered to idols of lord Ganesh at home
and at temples, and Ganesh puja is performed at all temples.
Fasting, feasting and distribution of sweets offered to Lord Ganesh
are important aspects of Ganesh chaturthi rituals in India. Hindus
pray to images of Lord Ganesha, large and small, many of them made
specially for the occasion by cottage industries and street side
artisans, and those that do not wish to keep the idols alive by
daily prayers, offerings and lighting oil lamps, immerse them in the
nearest water body (all rivers, lakes and the sea which are sacred
to Hindus).
Shoppe varieties of
Ganesha Idols from this site and pray to Lord Ganesha for inner
spiritual strength to attain success in all your undertakings.
Ganesh Chaturthi Gifts
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