Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrated by Indians and it’s also known by the name of Vinayaka Chaturthi. This festival is a 10-day celebration that is marked by an installation of Lord Ganesha’s clay idol in homes, temples, and temporary made stages (pandals). The auspicious ceremony marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha, who’s considered the God of good fortune. It starts on the fourth day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar in the month of Bhadrapada, around August and September. Every year this festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm via pandals and local communities. If you’re not able to be part of local festivities, here’s how you can celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at home:
Worshiping Lord Ganesha
The festival celebration begins a month before were idols of Lord Ganesha are made in many sizes for temples, houses, and pandals. You can begin the rituals by getting a clay idol of Ganesh Ji, to worship in the morning and the evening. The entire house is usually cleaned before getting the idol home and the entire family is gathered to welcome the Lord. The ideol is then worshiped by offerings of durva, flowers, models, and karanji.
Pooja Vidhi
Keep the idol on a raised platform before performing the mantras. Prayers and mantras are chanted before installing the idol and once it is installed. Once done, place five flowers on the feet of Ganesh Ji followed by Padya Samarpan. Here, the Lord’s feet are washed with holy water. Then, the idol is offered water along with a bath by panchamrita snaman. You can prepare the same by mixing curd, honey, ghee, and sugar. Lastly, you can bath the idol with pure water and offer new clothes. Offerings like sindoor, naivedyam, Chandan, durva, garland are made. For the pooja vidhi, you can also call a pandit at home to chant the mantras and perform the sixteen rituals of Ganesh Chaturthi’s pooja.
Honoring by Aarti
Aarti is one of the most important steps of Ganesh Chaturthi. You can worship and honor the festival by singing the following aartis:
Jai Ganesh Deva Aarti
Jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva;
Mata jaki parvati, pita maha deva;
Eka danta dayavanta, char bhuja dhari;
Mathe sindura sohe, muse ki savari;
Jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva;
Andhan ko aankh deta, kordhina ko kaya;Banjhan ko putra deta, nirdhana ko maya;
Jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva;.
Paana chadhe, phoola chadhe, aur chadhe meva;
Ladduan ka bhoga lage, santa karen seva;
Jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva.
Sukha Karta Dukh Harta in Marathi
Sukhkarta dukhharta varta vighnachi,
nurvi purvi prem krupa jayachi;
Sarvangi sundar uti shendurachi,
kanthi zalke mal mukta- phalachi;
Jay dev jai dev jay mangal murti,
darshanmatre mankamana purti;Ratnakhachit fara tuj gaurikumra,
chandanachi uti kumkumkeshara;
Hirejadit mugut shobhato bara,
runzunati nupure charni ghagaria;
Jay dev jai dev jay mangal murti,
darshanmatre mankamana purti;
Lambodar pitambar phadivarbandhana,
saral sond vakratunda trinayan;
Das ramacha vat pahe sadana,
sankti pavave nirvani rakshave survarvandana;
Jay dev jai dev jay mangal murti,
darshanmatre mankamana purti.
Prasad and Bhog
It is believed that Lord Ganesha was a fan of ladoos and modak—a sweet dumpling filled with jaggery and coconut made from rice or wheat flour. On this festival, various forms of modak are made and offered as prasad. Around 21 sweets including modak, ladoos are offered to Lord Ganesha as bhog.
Ganesha Visarjan
The 10-day long festival ends with the visarjan (immersion). On the last day, the idol is carried by the group or family. Here, a celebration with music and chanting is done. The idol is carried to get immersed in a water body such as a river, lake, or ocean where the clay idol dissolves. The day is concluded by chanting the following prayer:
Avahanam Na Janami Na Janami Tavarchanam।
Pujam Chaiva Na Janami Kshamasva Ganeshwara॥
Anyatha Sharanam Nasti Tvameva Sharanam Mam।
Tasmatkarunya Bhavena Rakshasva Vighneshwara॥
Gatam Papam Gatam Dukham Gatam Daridraya Meva Cha।
Agata Sukha Sampattih Punyachcha Tava Darshanat॥Mantrahinam Kriyahinam Bhaktihinam Sureshwara।
Yatpujitam Maya Deva Paripurnam Tadastu Me॥
Yadaksharapada Bhrashtam Matrahinam Cha Yadbhavet।
Tatsarva Kshamyatam Deva Prasida Parameshwara॥
Source TOI
