The
Celebrations and Festivities
The festival of
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated the states of Maharashtra,
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and many other parts
of India. Started by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja, the great
Maratha ruler, to promote culture and nationalism, the
festival was revived by Lokmanya Tilak (a freedom fighter) to
spread the message of freedom struggle and to defy the British
who had banned public assemblies. The festival gave the
Indians a feeling of unity and revived their patriotic spirit
and faith. This public festival formed the background for
political leaders who delivered speeches to inspire people
against the Western rule.
The festival is
so popular that the preparations begin months in advance. Before the start of the festival, people start to buy Ganesh
idols. Shops sell Ganesh idols in various shapes, even large
ones that can reach up to a height of several meters. Upon
bringing the idol home, the Hindus start to decorate the idol
with flower garlands and lights. The devotees chant prayers and
during the prayers, flowers, rice & coins are used. After
the ceremony, sweets and fruits are offered to guests. Thus
Ganesha statues are installed in street corners and in homes,
and elaborate arrangements are made for lighting, decoration,
mirrors and most common flowers.
On
the day of the festival, it is placed on raised platforms in
homes or in elaborately decorated outdoor tents for people to
view and pay their homage. The artists who make the idols of
Ganesh compete with each other to make bigger and more
magnificent and elegant idols. Thus the larger ones are
anything from 10 meters to 30 meters in height. The priest, usually clad in red
silk dhoti and shawl, then invokes life into the idol amidst
the chanting of mantras. This ritual is the pranapratishhtha.
After this the shhodashopachara (16 ways of paying
tribute) follows. Coconut, jaggery, 21 modakas (rice
flour preparation), 21 durva (trefoil) blades and red
flowers are offered. The idol is anointed with red unguent (rakta
chandan). Throughout the ceremony, Vedic hymns from the Rig
Veda and Ganapati Atharva Shirsha Upanishad, and Ganesha
stotra from the Narada Purana are chanted.
For
10 days, from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to the Ananta
Chaturdashi, Ganesha is worshipped. On the 11th day, the image
is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied with
dancing, singing, to be immersed in a river or the sea
symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards
his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes
of all man. All join in this final procession shouting "Ganapathi
Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya" (O father Ganesha,
come again early next year). After the final offering of
coconuts, flowers and camphor is made, people carry the idol to
the river to immerse it.
The
whole community comes to worship Ganesha in beautifully done
tents. These also serve as the venue for free medical checkup,
blood donation camps, charity for the poor, dramatic
performances, films, devotional songs, etc. during the days of
the festival.
