Ganesh Utsav.
The God of wisdom and the remover of obstacles is the son of Shiva and Paravati, depicated as a short fat man with an elephant's head.
The God of wisdom and the remover of obstacles is the son of Shiva and Paravati, depicated as a short fat man with an elephant's head.
There is a curiously interesting tale about the birth of Ganesha. It is believed that once while Parvati was bathing she created, a human figure from some unguent and balm, gave him life and asked him to guard the door while she bathed. After a long period, of meditation on Mount kailash (Shiva's abode) Shiva chose that very moment to drop by the man-god she had posted at the, door.
Outraged by the cheek of this stranger, Shiva cut off his head only to discover that he had killed Paravati's son! For fear of enraging, his wife, Shiva immediately dispatched his attendants to get him the head of the first living creature they could find. Well, the first living, creatures happened to be an elephant. As instructed, the attendants cut off the elephant's head and took it to Shiva who attached it, to parvati's son's body. Ganesha is India's cutest god. He has the head of an elephant on which is perched a dainty, tiara, four, Podgyhands joined to a sizeable belly, each of which hold it own symbolic object.
Lord Ganesh, the patron deity, is the God of Wisdom. Come August, preparations to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi the auspicious, day when Ganesh was born, begin with great enthusiasm all over the country. The eleven-day festival beigns with the installation, of beautifully sculpted Ganesha idols in homes and pandals colourfully decorated, depicting religious themes or current events. The Ganesh idols are worshipped by families and friends. many cultural events are organised and people participate in them with keen interest. After ten exciting days comes the time to bid farewell to the beloved God. Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival. It begins on the fourth day of the month of Bhadrapad in August or September. It lasts for eleven, days. Ganesh or Ganapati is the elephant-headed God of Wisdom, son of Parvati and Shiv. He is the deity of plenty and prosperity. He is also, the deity of learning. He is worshipped in the beginning of any worship them with great devotion during the festival. There are public, celebrations at street corners and other public places. Musical concerts, plays and other cultural programmes are also held during these days, At the ends of this festival, the idols are taken in procession to lakes, rivers or seas for immersion. The procession are long, crowded and, colourful. People dance and sing. They are happy and excited. They shout, 'Ganapati Bappa Morya. pudhchya Varshi lavkar yaa.' It means, 'O Lord Ganapati, we bid good-bye to you now, but come back soon next year.'
The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in its present form was begun in Maharashtra. Other states in India also have started celebrating it in a big, started celebrating it in a big way now.
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