Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi is a spectacular festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the beloved elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati. Revered as the god of wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune, and the remover of obstacles ('Vighnaharta'), Ganesha's birth is a fascinating story of divine creation. Legend has it that Goddess Parvati, wanting a loyal guard for her private chambers, created a boy from the sandalwood paste on her body and breathed life into him. She instructed him not to allow anyone to enter while she bathed.

When her husband, Lord Shiva, returned and was unexpectedly denied entry by this unknown boy, a fierce battle ensued. In his cosmic rage, not realizing the boy was Parvati's creation, Shiva severed the boy's head. When a distraught Parvati saw what had happened, her sorrow was immense. To console her, a remorseful Shiva promised to bring the boy back to life. He instructed his attendants (Ganas) to bring back the head of the first living creature they found with its head facing north. They returned with the head of a mighty elephant, which Shiva placed upon the boy's body, resurrecting him and bestowing upon him the name Ganesha, the lord of all Ganas. He was also blessed to be the first deity worshipped in any ritual, forever to be known as the remover of all obstacles.

The festival was transformed from a private, household celebration into a grand public event by the freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak in the late 19th century as a way to unite the people of India against British rule. Today, the festival is celebrated with immense fervor, especially in Maharashtra. Devotees bring home beautifully crafted clay idols of Ganesha, worshipping him for ten days with prayers, songs, and his favorite sweet, 'modak'. The festival culminates in the 'visarjan' (immersion) ceremony on Anant Chaturdashi, symbolizing Ganesha's journey back to his celestial abode, taking with him the misfortunes of his devotees and promising to return the following year.