Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most vibrantly celebrated festivals in India. Huge pandals are erected to worship Lord Ganesha and the 10 days see a hoard of devotees coming and offering sweets and other things to God. Lord Ganesha was born on the Chaturthi Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the Bhadrapada month. This year, Ganesh Chaturthi falls on August 31.
Significance:
Ganesh Chaturthi is a huge festival that starts on Chaturthi Tithi and ends on Anantha Chaturdashi. Also known as Ganeshotsav, the festival is celebrated across the nation with great vigour. The festival holds great importance among all Hindu festivals and is celebrated auspiciously in states like Maharashtra, Telangana, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.
History
The story in the religious scriptures suggests that Goddess Parvati created Ganesh. She used her sandalwood paste in the absence of Lord Shiva to create him to guard her while she was bathing. While she was gone, Lord Shiva tried entering the bathing hall, but Ganesha stood guard. This infuriated Lord Shiva and they got into a battle which resulted in Shiva chopping Ganesha’s head off.
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Seeing this, Goddess Parvati was enraged and transformed into Goddess Kali, threatening to destroy the whole universe. All the other gods worriedly asked Lord Shiva to find a solution to this. He then suggested his followers find a child and behead him. The condition was that the child’s mother should be facing the other way.
The first head that was found belonged to a baby elephant. Lord Shiva attached the elephant’s head and Lord Ganesha was reborn in his current form. Looking at this, Goddess Parvati turned back to her original form and since that day, Ganesha Chathurthi is celebrated every year.
Muhurat Timings
The Chaturthi Tithi will begin at 03:35 PM on August 30 and go on till 03:25 PM on August 31. The idol can be installed in the Puja place between these times. The Visarjan is on September 9 and the idol can be immersed in any clean water body, preferably in the evening.
