Study of Sanaatan Dharma: Deities: Lord Ganesha (continued)

Festivals ‘Ganapati Bappa Morya’

Ganesh Chaturthi is the main festival celebrated typically in late August or September when prayers are offered to Ganapati for upto 10 days celebrating his birthday. Devotees set up decorate the Ganesh idol in their homes and communities as if inviting Ganapati to bless them and then traditionally immerse the clay idol after one and a half days or three days or five days or seven days and most commonly after ten days of Ganesh Utsav festival on the day of ‘Ananta Chaturdashi’. The immersion signifies the belief of Hindus that nothing is permanent but all creation returns to Brahman. The idol of Ganesha is formed using clay and water as this form helps devotees to pray and celebrate in prayer but ultimately the idol is immersed to merge with the rest of the earth and becomes formless again, ceasing to exist as a separate identity. The only permanent constant is Brahman.

Ganesha’s birthday is celebrated in three different times of the year as per his different incarnations. As per Hindu calendar these occur fifteenth day of month of Vaishaka, fourth day of month of Magh and fourth day of month of Bhadrapada when the ten day festival of Ganesh Utsav occurs. These occasions are considered auspicious and some devotees hold ‘vratas’ and do fasting to offer their prayers to Ganpati in these periods. Sankashti Chaturthi is a vrata undertaken by devotees on the fourth day of second half of the month (Krishna paksha) to pray to lord Ganesha. In addition to vratas, offerings of the number 21 are considered auspicious.

Pancha Ganapati is celebrated by some faithful for five days from December 21 to worship Ganesha as the lord and protector of culture and arts too.