Mumbai: Ganesh Chaturthi is here. Celebrated with much fervour, Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the grandest and most important Hindu festivals. The festival marks the birth of Lord Ganesha, the god of wisdom and prosperity, according to Hindu customs.
People welcome Ganpatti Bappa by installing Lord Ganesha idols in their homes on the first day of the festival. Devotees decorate and worship the elephant-headed God and then bid adieu to him by immersing the idols in water after three, five, or ten days. The duration of keeping Lord Ganesha idols at home for worshipping completely depends upon the devotees.
Birth of Lord Ganesha
It is believed that Lord Ganesha was born on the Chaturthi Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the Bhadrapada month, which falls on 31 August this year as per the Gregorian calendar.
The famous story of Lord Ganesha’s birth which finds its mention in some historical scriptures, says that Goddess Parvati made Lord Ganesha with the sandalwood paste that she used for bathing. She asked him to guard the entrance until she comes after bathing. While performing his duty, Lord Shiva came and tried to meet his wife. On being denied by Lord Ganesha to meet Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva got furious and separated Lord Ganesha’s head from his body. On seeing this Goddess Parvati was enraged in anger and asked to destroy everything if she doesn’t get her son back. Seeing the situation worsening lord Shiva asked to bring the head of a baby animal whose mother was facing the other way from her child.
Fulfilling this condition, a baby elephant’s head was chosen for the task, after which Lord Shiva attached the elephant head to Lord Ganesha’s body. Since then, the day is celebrated as Ganesh Chaturthi.
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