Mangaluru: The end of inauspicious month of Ashada marks the beginning of much-awaited month of Shravana, which brings in lot of joy among Hindus as many prominent festivals begin to appear in the calendar. Beginning with Nagara Panchami, the faithful celebrate ‘Krishna Janmashtami’, ‘Ganesh Chathurthi’, ‘Navarathri’ concluding with Diwali.
Having celebrated Janmashtami just a few days ago, it is now time to bring Lord Ganesha home. Ganesh festival is celebrated in India and across the globe where devotees offer petitions with the firm belief that their prayers will be answered.
Ganesha, the Hindu deity is called by several names like Prathama Vanditha, Adi Poojitha, Buddhi Pradhayaka, Siddhi Vinayaka, Ganagala, Adishwara, Chinnara Priyadeva, Vighnahara, Gajavadana, Modaka-Garikeya Priya and Lambodhara with each title having its own significance and meaning. The famous Siddhi Vinayak temple in Mumbai where Bollywood celebrities and business tycoons visit is the most famous Ganesha temple.
The festival celebrated across the globe has both traditional and religious fervour attached to it. It was a closed door affair prior independence. It is learnt that Ganesh festival reignited the spirit of freedom movement when freedom fighter Balgangadhar Tilak wanted it to be celebrated in public sphere and may be due to his efforts ‘Ganapathi Bappa Morya’ chant reverberates louder in Maharashtra than anywhere else.
The preparation begins well in advance both in private and public spheres where artisans start moulding idols from soft clay and painting them. The sizes of idols vary from 6 inch to 10-12 feet and skilled artisans earn their living making these gigantic idols to suit different buyers.
In family circles the festival rejuvenates the atmosphere among the young and the old alike as new clothes, delicious dishes take centre stage. Women clad in colourful attire throng places of worship, a day in advance for the well being of their spouses seeking longevity. They thank the deity in various forms using bits of couplets as the deity is known as Vakra-thunda.
Titled Paramathatva, Omkaranaada, Saakshath Swaroopa, Buddi-Siddi pradahyaka, Sachidananda swaroopi, all collectively mean, the deity is wealth of knowledge. Devotees wish their soul should remain joyful in union with Him who is capable of removing impediments in daily lives while walking in the path of knowledge. Hindus believe even epic writers of Mahabharath including Vedvyas, Jnaneshwar and Eknathswamy Ramdas praised the deity in their writings. Even Hindu saint Tulsidas had thanked the deity in his writings Srirama Charithamanas.
Married women celebrate the festival on the eve (a day before) in a simple, devoted manner without much fanfare in the form of Gowri festival. Gowri festival is celebrated in South India and is known as Swarna Gowri. There is a little story attached to this celebration. Once a king by name Chadraprabha while hunting comes across a lake in picturesque surrounding where he finds beautiful women (Apsares’ -descended from above) clad in attractive attires offering prayers. When king questions them about the prayers, they respond by saying if the prayers are offered by women on the swarna gowri festival day (a day before ganesh festival) they will conceive and the family will prosper. Later they give a thread with 16 knots on it wishing prosperity to the king. On his return, the king gives the thread with knots to the first wife who discards the same and throws it on a dry withered plant. In no time the plant gains life and tender green leaves sprout. Second wife astonished by the entire incident takes the thread with knots and offers prayers in a devoted manner and conceives later. Most women facing problems of infertility recite a particular hymn 108 times on the occasion of Swarna Gowri Vritha.
On all auspicious days every Hindu celebration begins by offering prayers to deity Ganesh. Many believe that Srikrishna being omnipotent performed Ganesh puja. They also believe that Lord Ganesha wards away impediments, ushers well being and empowers his devotees with knowledge. They adore him by reciting his name in 108 different ways like calling Gajanana, Vinayaka, Ganapathi, Ganesha and Lambodhara. If the festival falls on Tuesday, devotes believe they benefit almost tenfold in response to their petitions.
Ganesh festival has ancient background and even Upanishads make a mention of rituals associated with the festival. During the festive period cultural programs are held across Maharashtra.
Many mythological stories are linked with Ganesha festival. In one such story, Shiva’s wife Parvathi, offers prayers to Lord Vishnu seeking a son. As an answer to her prayer, Lord Vishnu takes the form of Ganesha and becomes her son.
When deity associated with curses ‘Shani’ took a special liking to child Ganesh, the child lost his head which in turn was replaced by that of elephant’s. This is why he gets the name ‘Gajanana’ or the one with elephant face.
One more myth is that when Parvathi went to bathe she made a small clay idol of Ganesh and placed at the entrance of the bathing space and instilled life into it. When Lord Shiva walks in search of his wife, young Ganesha stops him. Raged by this, Shiva uses his Trishul to crush the head of Ganesh. Disturbed by the development all goddesses sought special assistance from the omnipotent who instructed them to bring the head of an animal sleeping with head facing northward. They bring the head of an elephant and Shiva joins elephant’s head to Ganesh’s body and since then many believe elephant is an embodiment of Ganesh.
In the past the Ganesh festival was celebrated with lot of pomp and gaiety. In the modern developed world this festival too is commercialised. In olden days idols were made of only clay where as in these days most idols are made of plaster of Paris and artisans use iron rods to bind plaster of Paris while making idols. This has resulted in environmental degradation and the poisonous chemical employed in paints are causing immense damage to clean water bodies after immersion.
The government and NGO’s always carry forward a message to employ environmental friendly materials like clay in making of Ganesh idols but the message has fallen on deaf years. If crores of rupees on festivities and if Ganapathi Bappa Morya is chanted blissfully and if idols are causing more damage than good after immersion what good it will bring, question old timers and nature friendly citizens.
Tension grips areas surrounding Ganesha pandals giving rise to communal violence and in many places devotees offer prayers fearing trouble than seeking well. The danger of terror attacks, miscreants creating trouble looms large during festival time and police machinery will be toes monitoring the situation to prevent communal flare-up.
Hope Ganesh festival has only good in store for all in the days to come!
