Ganesha Festival

Today is the seventh day of 'A to Z challenge'. The alphabet for today is G. My theme is 'Festivals of India'.

Sleeping Ganesha image, very rare

Ganesha Chaturthi is another important festival, which is celebrated with great pomp and show all over India. It is believed that this day is the birthday of  Lord Ganesha. In any Puja or any important ritual, it is Ganesha, who takes a lead.

There is a legend behind his elephant like face.  The story states that his mother, Parvati was going to have her bath. She told Ganesha  not to allow any one enter  her palace. Ganesha stood like a guardian out side  the palace and did not allow anyone to enter inside.When his father Shiva came, Ganesha did not let him inside. In spite of requests, threats and pleading, Ganesha stood like a rock and  allowed no entry inside. Shiva, out of frustration ordered his followers to severe  the head of Ganesha. When Parvati saw her son headless, she could not control herself. Shiva sent his ganas (followers) to go Northwards and  cut the head of any living being, whom they come across. The Ganas brought the head of an elephant. It was immediately fixed on Ganesha’s face.

Ganesha is a favourite with the artists, because of his unusual face. It is a pleasure for them to play with their imagination to show their artistic  creativity. They start making beautiful idols of different shapes and sizes many days before Ganesha Chaturthi. The idols are installed on a high pedestal. A priest recites sacred chants  from the scriptures. On the eleventh day the idol is taken in a procession to river and the idol is immersed in the water with chant, which request the lord to visit them  the following year.

immersion of ganesha

 Ganesha is the favorite God with many households. In our house we have numerous idols of Ganesha in different shapes and sizes.

           

ganesha corner in our house

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pic courtesy google