Ganesha Chaturthi

Ganesha Chaturthi is celebrated as Lord Ganesha's birthday by the Hindus
throughout the world. He is considered as the eldest son of Lord Shiva and
Goddess Parvathi. This festival is also known as Vinayak Chaturthi or Vinayak
Chavithi. It is celebrated with pomp and show in the Hindu calendar month
of Bhadra that usually falls in between mid August and mid September.
Lord Ganesh is worshipped first in any prayers.Lord Ganesha is the remover of all obstacles that stand in your spiritual path.


Legend behind the origin of Ganesh:
In Shiv purana it is said that Ganesh was the creation of Goddess Parvati, who breathed life into an image made of clay. She placed the image outside the door while she was bathing and ordered him not to allow anyone to enter. Then her husband Lord Shiva arrived and was refused admission by the doorkeeper. Shiva became furious and severed the head of the idol. Parvathi was very upset over the incident as she considered the idol as her son (manas putra). To make amends Shiva ordered his servant to go and bring the head of the first living being he would meet. The servant saw an elephant, and he at once cut his head and took it to Shiva. Shiva joined the elephant's head to the body of Parvati's son. Thus Ganapathi came in to being.

Ganapathi's mount is a mouse and he has a snake tied around his belly. His origin has a philosophical aspect to it. The whole cosmos is compared to the belly of God. Shakti Parvati is the primordial energy. The seven worlds above, seven worlds (lokas) below and the seven oceans are inside the cosmic belly of Ganesha, held together by the cosmic energy kundalini symbolized as the huge snake which Ganesha ties around him. The mouse is nothing but our ego. Ganesha, using the mouse as a vehicle, exemplifies the need to control our ego. One who has controlled the ego is believed to have Ganesha consciousness or God-consciousness.

On the occasion of the Ganapati festival, large number of images are made of clay or metal in all possible sizes sometimes even up to twenty feet. People buy them and install them in their houses and worship for one and a half, five, seven, or ten days (Ananda Chaturdashi), after which the images are taken out ceremoniously, carried in a procession through the streets of the towns, especially in Maharashtra and thrown into the river, sea or well for immersion or 'Visarjan'. People chant 'Ganpati bappa Morya, Agle baras to jaldi aa' ('Father Ganpati, Come again soon next year') while immersing.