Sada Bhawaani daahini, sanmukh rahey Ganesh
Panch Dev raksha karein, brahma Vishnu Mahesh
(Always Goddess Bhawaani who is the symbol of power on right side, Ganesha in front of Bharma middle of the body including Vishnu and Mahesh on both of sides to bless us and would make sure of safety of their devotees.)
I asked my sister whats the date and the answer made me think to rush to bring one idol home as it was Ganesha Chaturthi the next day ….i so remember past 10 years when I saw the picture of every year of lord Ganesha and the homes we have had – things just change so do we. I 10 years ago had an idol in Bangalore in my flat – the year one I went for the immersion but then the second year was not the same when I was told by my amma not to immerse in the water being an environmental friendly on myself. She asked me why you do that…instead get a tank and immerse in it. Use this mud water later.
The second year till now I love to bring those colorful idols home. It brings so much of life within me .The festivals makes me delighted and emotional to the core .I so realized my amma is right, what she must have read is really true why I make water dirty and should why should I pollute the environment when I call myself a Trainer and environmentalist. I always went for POP (Plaster of Paris) Ganesa but it does not sink in properly and also takes too long to dissolve in water. I personally believe the Ganesha should be totally mud Ganesha – clay Ganesa which could be dissolved and this holy water could bring happiness to each one’s life pouring it to plants could create one more life –fauna and bringing happiness to every one ‘s world I say ! I being true environmentalists recommend mud clay – one could make by own hands and also this year market does have eco-friendly Ganesha. I am sure we could do our bit not to pollute the environment anymore.
WHY WE CELEBRATE GANESHA CHATURTHI:
It’s origin is unclear but its been celebrated during the time of Chatrapati Shivaji and later during the British rule Bal Ganagadgar Tilak ji who was an Indian nationalist – a teacher and lawyer by profession and independence activist .” He was regarded as father of the Indian unrest “made a tradition in the year back in 1893. It used to be every families culture to celebrate in simple form and regular form. He had a vision where he wanted all the folks without making a difference on religion, caste-creed where all feel equal and could get altogether feeling and value being unified to enjoy the very festival of Ganesha Chaturthi.
Ganesh Chaturthi is also regarded as Vinayaka Chaturthi . Also it is called as Ganesha Chauth. Every year its arrives with a great message of Lord Ganesha coming to earth and having fun with all, stay with all –bless them and make all happy and go back to his bliss. This year 2018 we have this auspicious day on the 13 th September 2018.Day is Thursday! On this auspicious day it is said it is his birth anniversary. The lord Ganesha is considered to be the God of astuteness, fortune and richness.The entire carnival-celebration goes until 10 days and ends after Anant Chaturdashi as it is called in hindi! This is the day when god is immersed in water body nearby. The entire celebration is full of pomp and show …new clothing, sweets and dance convoys on the roads like we say shaadi baraat in hindi I.e. the north Indian wedding where people dance on roads with good music and loud.
Ganesha Chaturthi rejoices lord Ganesha as the deity of the new dawn and the remover of all difficulties and hurdles . The aarti as it says : sukhkerta dukhharta wataa vignaachi………means
Oh Lord, who affords happiness, removes sadness and eliminates all “vignas” (hindrances) in existence of ones being. One could refer at the end about the prayers.
India is a beautiful country – the pride is its culture and real strong concrete culture and traditions. It is the country of languages. This festival was majorly celebrated in the states of Maharashtra, Gujrat, Karnataka, Goa and Telangana. It’s no more the festival for this state but also for countries Uttarpradesh ,Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh etc. They are retained in marquee (pandals) or short-term platforms and publicly or personal homes.
2018 – 13 September the prayers needed be offered to the lord Ganesha during Mid-day .The Prayer time would be 11:10 am to 1:35 pm. The time duration for the prayer is nearly 2 and half hour.
This year seem to be changing trend the people are becoming must more environmental conscious and it does not need one to be an environmentalist. Today the conscious beings are quite caring for the environment. People this year are looking for eco-friendly Ganesa – mud/clay Ganesa and not plaster of Paris idols. Even the Ganesa statues with the seeds are hand curated idol and environmental innovation. here the seeds in the mud would help germination of a new plant . Feels wow! Is not it? Yes you got it right –immersion of idol Ganesa can create a new plant.
Ganesa festival – also called as Ganeshostava is one amongst favorite festivals celebrated by Indians today and with freshness of these 10 days journey brings the freshness and purity in the entire environment when it comes to one’s mood. However, all these years we have been polluting water bodies with the immersion which is called in hindi as GANESHA VISARJANA.
The immersion ritual can be compared to one saddest moment of one who brings Ganesha feels his presence and feel great about him coming home with all pomp and show …….the time comes when after 10 days prayers the time comes when Hindus believe Ganesa is asking to leave back to his bliss –his “Dhaam”.we have those certain thoughts coming that ganesha ab chaley jaayenegy apney ghar ( Ganesha would return to his bliss )
The immersion (visarjan) occurs where we bid the farewell to our god Ganesha (Ganpati bappa). The immersion takes place in 1.5 day- the same day when he is kept for prayers and in a day and half he leaves .( immersion ), 3 days , 5 days ,7 days , 10 days and 11 days .The saddest part here is celebrated with full zeal and enthusiasm – with lots of dance and drum beats .One could hear the loud chant “Ganapati bappa mourya –agli baras tu jaldi aa”(means lord Ganesa –your highness, please come as soon as possible next year with waiting expressions) Ganesa ji is all set to return to the mount Kailash where his parents – lord Shiva and mother Parvathi. The visarjan timings are given below:
Ganesh Chaturthi day visarjan (same day) – September 13, 2018. Here lord Ganesha returns back one and half day and this is performed less compared to other tenure.
Afternoon auspicious timings ( muhurta): 1:30 pm – 3:21 pm
Evening auspicious timings (muhurta): 4:53 pm – 9:21 pm
Early Morning auspicious timings (muhurta) (September 14): 0:17 am – 1:45 am and 3:13 am – 6:09 am
One And A Half Day Visarjan (1.5 Days) – September 14, 2018
Afternoon auspicious timings (muhurtam): 12:16 – 1:48 pm
Evening auspicious timings (muhurtam) : 4:52 pm – 6:24 pm
Night auspicious timings (muhurtam) : 9:20 pm – 10:49 pm
Early Morning auspicious timings (muhurtam) ( on the September 15): 00:17 am – 4:41 am
Three Days Ganesh Visarjan (3 Days) – September 15, 2018
Morning auspicious timings (muhurtam) : 7:41 am – 9:13 am
Afternoon auspicious timings (muhurtam): 12:16 pm – 4:51 pm
Evening auspicious timings (muhurtam) : 6:23 pm – 7:51 pm
Night auspicious timings (muhurtam): 9:19 pm – 1:45 am ( The September 16 of year 2018)
Early Morning auspicious timimgs (muhurtam) (September 16): 4:42 am – 6:10 am
Five Days Ganesh Visarjan (5 Days) – September 17, 2018
Morning : 6:11 am – 7:42 am and 9:13 am – 10:44 am
Afternoon : 1:47 pm – 7:49 pm
Night : 10:47 pm – 0:16 am (September 18) and 1:45 am – 6:11 am (September 18)
Seven Days Ganesh Visarjan (7 Days) – September 19, 2018
Morning : auspicious timings (muhurtam) 6:12 am – 9:13 am and 10:44 am – 12:15 pm
Afternoon auspicious timings (muhurtam): 3:16 pm – 6:18 pm
Night auspicious timings (muhurtam): 7:47 pm – 0:15 am (September 20)
Early Morning auspicious timings (muhurtam) (September 20): 3:14 am – 4:43 am
Anant Chaturdashi (11 Days) – September 23, 2018
Morning auspicious timings (muhurtam) : 7:43 am – 12:13 pm
Afternoon auspicious timings (muhurtam): 1:43 pm – 3:13 pm
Evening auspicious timings (muhurtam): 6:13 pm – 10:43 pm
Early Morning (September 24,2018): 1:44 am – 3:14 am and 4:44 am – 6:14 am
The Tale Behind LORD GANESHA BEING PRAYED Before Any Event
Once there was a feud between all deities about who should be prayed the first and foremost one. All gods were boasting more about themselves and were desiring to be prayed firstly. Naarad ji heard all these from gods while quarrelling amongst themselves. Narad ji exclaimed if you all wish to sort this out for once call lord Shiva “lord Shiva once got to know announced one competition to make it a fair deal and to conclude .he organized one such competition event. All gods were asked to take their carriers –forms of vehicles and were asked to take a round (rotate around) the universe and get back to mount Kailash and whomsoever would come back the first would be considered to be the ideal and idol to be offered prayers firstly before any work. All the deities got over their carriers and moved to their destination at the earliest to make a first come back. However, lord Ganesa did not sit on his vehicle and started moving around his parents i.e. lord Shiva and goddess Parwati. He did this 7 times and reached back and stood at one place joining hands together with a naman (offering regards to his parents). Meanwhile all gods came back and found lord Ganesha being there. The results got announced and lord Ganesha was the one to be found the winner therefore announcing he would be the first god to be remembered and prayed before any ritual. Lord Shiva exclaimed! In the universe the highest position considered is of the parents and Ganesha has proved to be one intelligent of all who has made a difference rotating around his parents (taking parikrama ) and has done the greatest action ever, so he is worth being prayed first over other god. Since then he is always prayed by all before any beginning of auspicious event.
The Tale Behind Sweet (MODAK) –His Favorite
It is believed every deity has some favorite sweet and for Ganesha ji it is the Modak. Let’s understand the meaning of Modak in the main verses means mode –anand (means happiness) It means whether it’s the food for body or thought of mind – both needs be holy and pure and then only one could be rejoiced in true sense. Modak is the symbol of knowledge and therefore the lord of knowledge –Ganapati Bappa likes this sweet called Modak the most. Like Modak sweet is hard from outside and very tender inside similarly, the head of the family needs be harder with the rules and regulation of the family and at the same time being too tender to take care of the family – there only the true happiness takes place.
These Modaks are made of sooji-flour /dry fruits mainly coconut, faux nuts, dried dates pieces and crystal sugar (mishri) and many other various forms are also available.
The story: once upon a time shivji , parwati ji along with Ganesha ji went to Atree sage ( rishi ).Lord shiv ji and Ganesha ji were very hungry. Shivji asked from Atree sage’s wife wether she could give something to eat. She denied humbly saying first she would feed Ganesha to the full extent to his satisfaction levels. All food almost got over but lord Ganesha was still not satisfied, that’s the time when Ansuiya thought without feeding Ganesha the sweet –he would not be able to get satisfied on his hunger part. Lord Ganesha got the sweet – the Modak and finally led to his satisfaction immediately. Lord Shiva took 21 belches hereafter making both father Shiva and son Ganesha happy and satisfied. Post all of this, goddess Parwati asked Ansuiya about what she gave to Ganesha ji and was replied Modak as sweets and dessert course. Since then 21 Modaks are been kept in front of lord Ganesha for him to be happy and delighted as prasadam.
So from my side best wishes for upcoming Ganesh Utasav Purb to all of you, stay blessed by Eco-friendly Ganesha this time.
