Ganesh Chaturthi is a spectacular festival, honoring the birth of Lord Ganesha.
It is celebrated all over India, but the maximum grandeur is witnessed at
Maharashtra. This festival witnesses various cultural events, which bring the
public together and enhance the sense of belongingness and togetherness. The
celebration ends with the immersion of the Lord Ganesha's idol into the water.
Huge processions of people carry the idol to a river, lake or ocean, accompanied
by the chant of Ganapati Bappa Morya. Ganesh Chaturthi is the significant
festival of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Celebrations in Maharashtra
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in almost each and every household of Maharashtra,
with great faith and belief, for around ten days. The celebrations take place at
both individual and community level. Huge pandals are set up and the idol of
Ganesha is worshipped by the entire community together, with pomp and show. The
celebrations begin with the installation of a Lord Ganesha idol in home, which
is worshipped daily by the family members as well as their friends, relatives
and even neighbors, who come to have darshan of the Lord. Various cultural
events are also organized during these ten days. The celebration ends on the
tenth day, when all the people go to the river or sea, to immerse the idol.
Celebrations in Karnataka
In Karnataka, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with prayers offered to Gauri, the
mother of Lord Ganesh. The married women pray to Goddess Gauri, to get blessings
ofeir long lasting married life. It is celebrated in different temples of Lord
Ganesh, where prayers are offered to the Lord and Gauri. In Karnataka, Ganesh
Chaturthi is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi and is counted amongst the
popularly celebrated festivals.
Celebrations in Gujarat
In Ahmedabad, the capital city of Gujarat, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with
great pomp and show. Offerings are made to Lord Ganesh at numerous temples.
Elaborate arrangements are made for lighting and decoration and Ganeshji is
fervently worshipped for about 7-10 days. On the day of the Chaturthi, i.e. the
last of the ten days dedicated to God, idols are immersed at river Sabarmati and
Kankaria Lake. Firecrackers are let off and huge images of Ganeshji are carried
in grand procession for 'Ganesh Visarjan' (immersion), accompanied by the sound
of devotional songs and drums.
Celebrations in Rajasthan
In Rajasthan, on Ganesh Chaturthi, an image of Ganesh is bathed in red kumkum
and a garland of red flowers is put on the idol, placed by many households right
outside their entrance. A small thaal, with haldi and kumkum, is also placed at
the entrance, so that the visiting people take a pinch of each and put it on
their foreheads and throat. Ladoos are usually kept in the house, to be first
offered to Ganeshji and then distributed as prasad to the devotees. |
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