GANESH CHATURTHI: THE FESTIVAL OF THE ELEPHANT HEADED LORD GANESHA

The eleven day long festival also known as Vinayaka Chavithi, is celebrated to mark the birth of lord Ganesha. The celebration takes place all around the country from Maharashtra and Gujarat to Karnataka and Telangana.
Ganesha, known by 108 different names according to the Hindu mythology, is fondly referred to as Ganpati. Being the god of new beginnings, he is welcomed into our lives on the festival to bring in a fresh start in the sixth month of the Hindu calendar.

WHY DO WE CELEBRATE GANESH CHATURTHI?

To mark the auspicious occasion of the lord of wisdom and sciences, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated.

There are two different legends that are related to the birth of lord Ganesha:

One being where Godess Parvati wanted to take a bath but had no one to guard her. So she created him from the dirt of her body and set him up to guard her. Shiva who returned from outside was not allowed by Ganesha to enter, this furiated the lord of transformation and he severed Ganeshas head. This enraged Godess Parvati and hence Shiva promised her that Ganesha would live again. After a lot of search, Shiva replaced his sons head with that of an elephant and with this Ganesha was brought to life.

The other version is that Ganesha was given life by his parents Shiva and Parvati, on the request of other Devas to become their viganhartha(obstacle- averter)

IMPORTANCE OF THE FESTIVAL

Worshipping lord Ganesha allows the devotees to fulfil their wishes and desires. Serving to the lord they free themselves from the cycle of sins. It is widely believed that praying to lord will lead them to a path of knowledge and wisdom

POSITIVE ASPECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Every year in the light of the festival colour pandals and murtis are made but are then taken down and emerged in water respectively.
However, in the light of the growing environmental problems, the masses have started to take conscious efforts towards an eco friendly Ganesh Chaturthi.