Ganesh Chaturthi - How is it celebrated?
Vinayaka Chaviti – also known as Ganesh Chaturthi – the festival of the god Ganesh or Vinayaka, is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Ganesha - the god of wisdom and prosperity. It is celebrated on the Suddha Chaviti day (the fourth day after the no-moon day) of the lunar month Bhadrapada (August/September).
Ganesh's blessings are invoked at most religious ceremonies as he is the god who can remove all obstacles to success. He bestows wisdom, good fortune and prosperity and ‘helps’ preventing natural calamities.
Ganesh Chaturthi, marking his birthday, is celebrated in his honour, chiefly in the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. In Mumbai alone, thousands of Ganesh idols are commissioned collectively by social, cultural and commercial organisations.
This festival is so popular that preparations begin months in advance. Chaturthi is the last of the eleven days dedicated to the elephant-headed god, when thousands of processions converge on the shores of lakes, ponds, and sea beaches to immerse the holy idols in the sea. Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad and Chowpatty beach in Mumbai are principal places where the idols are immersed at the end of the festival. The immersion of the idols takes place amidst the chanting of "Ganesh Maharaj Ki Jai!" and "Ganapati Bappa Morya". The festival ends with pleas to Ganesh to return ‘early’ the next year.
He is the god of wisdom and prosperity and is invoked before the beginning of any auspicious work by the Hindus. When a Hindu child is initiated into education, (s)he is asked to invoke Ganesha by chanting the Mantra – “Om Sree Ganeshaya Namaha” - only then is the education considered ‘commenced’.
