Significance of Ganesh Chaturthi & glory: By the way, worshiping and worshiping Ganapati Ji on any Chaturthi that falls in a year brings prosperity, prosperity, good fortune, and wealth in the house. But in the scriptures, the month of Bhado/Bhadra (भादो माह) has been given special importance of Chaturthi. Because on this day Lord Ganesha was born. On this occasion, people start worshiping the idol of Lord Ganesha in their homes. This worship and festival last for 10 days and on the last 10th day is infinite. These idols are immersed on the day of Chaturdashi.
Those who are unable to perform the worship for 10 days due to unavoidable reasons can also immerse the idols of Ganesha on the third, fifth, and seventh days after the installation, but mostly the immersion takes place on the tenth day.
Significance of Ganesh Chaturthi & glory
Although Ganeshotsav i.e. the birthday of Ganesh Ji is celebrated with great enthusiasm and gaiety all over India, in Maharashtra, a different shade of Ganesh festival emerges. The whole of Maharashtra celebrates this festival with great pomp with colorful troupes including the idol of Ganesh Ji.
This ten-day worship takes the form of a social festival. The idol leaves no stone unturned in its grandeur. Worship is done twice a day. Prasad is made and distributed daily without onion/spice. After the evening aarti, the gimmicks of Maharashtra are staged till half-night, then music and music break out. Young people nowadays show great interest in dance.
Apart from Lavani, the popular dance of Maharashtra, the joy of the Dandiya dance of Gujarat fills the public with fun. Bhangra and Garba dances are also seen loudly. In which many social competitions are also included. In some places, Kavi Sammelans are also organized on this occasion.
Ultimately: After ten days of worship the idol, installed on “Anantachaturdashi”, moves towards the Arabian Sea (or holy rivers) for immersion.
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Ganesh Chaturthi fasting and worship method
On the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, get up in Brahma Muhart and wear clean clothes after getting purified from the bath, etc. Wearing red-colored clothes on this day is very auspicious. Worship Ganpati by sitting on a pure seat with your face towards the east or north direction.
On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, we begin the puja by bringing the idol of Lord Ganapati home. It is considered most sacred to bring home the idol of Lord Ganesha on this day. Devotees who are bringing the idol of Ganesh Ji to their homes before Chaturthi, should bring the idol covered with a cloth and remove it at the time of installation of the idol on the day of worship. Before entering the idol in the house, Akshat must be put on it. Even at the time of installation, Akshat should be placed near the seat. Also, betel nut, turmeric, kumkum, and Dakshina should also be kept there.
Required Materials for Ganesh Chaturthi Puja-
At the time of installing the idol of Ganapati in the house, apart from all the rules and regulations, the materials which are needed are as follows. Like red flowers, durva, modak, coconut, betel nut, betel leaf, red sandalwood, incense, incense sticks, and aarti plate.
How to worship on Ganesh Chaturthi?
To worship the Ganapati idol, first of all, burn incense sticks and incense in an aarti plate. After this, place betel leaves and betel leaves in it as well. During this, chant the mantra ‘Om Gan Ganpate Namo Namah‘ and meditate on Siddhivinayak, the provider of Sarvananda with a concentrated mind. Then with reverence and devotion dedicate twenty-one leaves by taking their one name. Each of his names has “Namah” attached to it. Those twenty-one names and leaves are as follows-
- सुमुखाय नम: से शमीपत्र,
- गणाधीशाय नम: से भंगरैया पत्र,
- उमापुत्राय नम: से बिल्व पत्र,
- गजमुखाय नम: से दूर्वादल,
- लंबोदराय नम: से बेर का पत्र,
- हरसूनवे नम: से धतूरे का पत्ता,
- शूर्पकर्णाय नम: से तुलसी पत्र,
- वक्रतुण्डाय नम: से सेम का पत्र,
- गुहाग्रजाय नम: से अपामार्ग का पत्ता,
- एकदंताय नम: से भटकटैया पत्र,
- हेरम्बाय नम: से सिंदूर का पत्ता या सिंदूर,
- चतुर्होर्त्रे नम: से तेजपात,
- सर्वेश्वराय नम: से अगस्त का पत्ता,
- विकटाय नम: कनेर का पत्ता,
- हेमतुण्डाय नम: से केला पत्र,
- विनायकाय नम: से आक पत्र,
- कपिलाय नम: से अर्जुन पत्र,
- वटवे नम: से देवदारु का पत्र,
- भालचन्द्राय नम: से मरुआ का पत्ता,
- सुराग्रजाय नम: से गांधारी का पत्ता
- सिद्धिविनायकाय नम: से केतकी पत्ता.
Lord Ganesha is very pleased with this. Make Shri Ganesha with Panchamrit, then offer saffron, sandalwood, Akshat, Durva and worship them by burning camphor and perform aarti. Offer them modak laddoos. He has a special love for blood-colored flowers. Establish Shri Swaroop of Shri Ganesh Ji in the north-east corner and his Shri face should be towards the west.
In the evening, recite Ganesh Chaturthi Katha, Ganesh Purana, Ganesh Chalisa, Ganesh Stuti, Shri Ganesh Sahasnamavali, Ganesh Ji’s aarti, trouble-destroying Ganesh Stotra. In the end, chant the Ganesha Mantra ‘Om Ganesha Namah’ or ‘Om Ganpataye Namah’ according to your reverence. If any priest is performing it, then also offer Dakshina.
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Why and how is Ganesh Chaturthi celebrated?
Shri Ganesh Ji was born on the Chaturthi of Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapada. That is why every year Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with pomp on this day. The celebration of the birthday of Lord Ganesha is known as Ganesh Chaturthi. On the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, Lord Ganesha is worshiped as the god of wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune. It is believed that Lord Ganesha was born during the Madhyahna period, hence the time of Madhyahna is considered more suitable for Ganesh worship.
In other parts of the country also people gather and immerse idols in nearby rivers and ponds along with other companions. The Ghosh that is made at the time of immersion in Maharashtra has a special significance. Its lyrics in Marathi are like this-
गणपति बप्पा मोरिया ( हे पिता गणपति! अलविदा)
घीमा लड्डू चोरिया। (जो घी के बने लड्डू खाते हैं)
पुडचा वरसी लौकरिया (अगले वर्ष तू जल्दी लौटना)
बप्पा मोरिया, बप्पा मोरिया रे।। (पिता गणपति विदा, पिता गणपति विदा…)!!!
Why is Ganpati Visarjan done?
The mention of immersion of Ganapati idol is mentioned in the texts. According to the scriptures, Maharishi Ved Vyas started narrating the story of Mahabharata to Lord Ganesha from the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. For ten consecutive days, Ved Vyas Ji kept narrating the story to Shri Ganesh and Ganesh Ji kept writing the story.
When Maharishi Ved Vyas opened his eyes after the completion of the story, he saw that the temperature of Ganesh Ji has increased due to hard work.
To reduce the temperature of Ganesha’s body, Ved Vyas Ji takes Ganesha to a nearby lake and gives him a bath. On the day of Anant Chaturdashi, a bath was taken in the lake to pacify the effulgence of Ganesh Ji, hence the practice of immersion of Ganesha idol started on this day.
The second reason is that among the main five elements of the earth, Ganapati is considered to be the lord of water, for this reason, people also flow water to Ganapati.
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Keep these things in mind during Ganesh Visarjan
- After immersing Lord Ganesha, after duly worshiping him, offer special prasad to the Lord and now do Swastivachan of Shri Ganesha.
- Take a clean stool (चौकी) and clean it with Gangajal or cow urine and make a swastika on it. Now spread a clean yellow, pink or red cloth by keeping intact on it.
- Place betel nut around the squares stool (चौकी) and also put flower leaves on top of the cloth.
- Now lift Shri Ganesha from the place of establishment with his hymn and place him on the prepared squares. After placing them on the floor, keep fruits, flowers, clothes, Dakshina, and 5 modaks with them.
- Before immersion on the banks of a river, pond or puddle, perform aarti to Kapoor and wish a happy farewell to Shri Ganesha and seek his desired blessings with wealth, happiness, peace, prosperity. 10 days- For the unintentional mistake, also pray for forgiveness. Do not throw away the Shri Ganesha Idol, shed them slowly with full respect and honor, along with the clothes and all the material.
- If Shri Ganesh idols are eco-friendly, then you can immerse them in the house and put this water in your pot, and keep it with you forever. Along with this, we can also take the initiative to save the environment.
After all, why only men do Ganesh Visarjan?
Even today many such things are found in society. Due to which the question arises in the minds of women and girls that why only men do these things. One of those male-dominated works is Ganesh-immersion. After all, when everyone has the right to worship, then why do only men have the right to immersion Ganesha? Let’s know the reasons behind this…
Not only Ganesh Visarjan, but the right of every Visarjan in India also belongs to the male caste only. Immersion is associated with funeral rites. Here, according to Hindu rituals, just as men complete the last rites of a human being, in the same way, only they have the right to Ganesha Visarjan.
- One reason behind this is also said that the immersion of anything happens in a very touching atmosphere. At the same time, women’s heart is weaker than men and they are not able to bid farewell to anyone. Therefore, women are kept a little away from all the works related to immersion.
- Many old people say that when immersion takes place, people often drink cannabis or liquor there and dance in devotion to the Lord, so women and girls should not be there even from the point of view of security.
- The second important reason is also that people are often victims of witchcraft in such places, women or girls soon become the target of these things, so the elders also stop them from going there.
- Although today the time has changed, people’s thinking is changing, so the customs are also changing, but those who believe in religion and mythology, definitely try to keep girls and women away from the work of immersion, there is no particular caste behind it, Love or neglect is not the reason.