Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, is an important Hindu festival; it is celebrated as the birth of Bhagwan Ganesh who is the son of Bhagwan Shiva, and Devi Parvati. Worship of Bhagwan Ganesh has an important significance in Hindus.
Bhagwan Ganesh is the symbol of education, wisdom, good fortune and prosperity, every year the Chaturthi date of Bhadrapada Shukla Paksha is celebrated with great pomp in the entire country as Ganesh Chaturthi. After this, Bappa is duly worshiped for the next 10 days. The festival is celebrated as per the prescribed dates in the Hindu Calendar and changes every year.
Bhagwan Ganesh is known by 108 different names like Gajanana, Vinayaka, Vighnaharta among others.
This festival is celebrated with great devotion and joy by Hindus throughout the world. In India, it is majorly celebrated in States including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana.
It is believed that the devotees who pray to Bhagwan Ganesh are able to fullfill their wishes and desires.
Dates as per Hindu Calendar
The celebrations Ganesh Chaturthi, this year will begin by bringing bappa home on September 19 and will end with the immersion or Ganesh Visarjan on September 28. As per the Hindu Calendar, this year Chaturthi Tithi of Bhadrapada Shukla Paksha is two days, September 18 and 19 2023. But according to Udaya Tithi, the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on 19 September 2023.
As per the Astrologers, many auspicious events are being formed on the arrival of Bappa this year. Brahma, Shukla and auspicious yoga are being formed on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. Such a coincidence is seen once in 300 years. Along with this, there is also a combination of Swati and Vishakha nakshatra. In such a situation, it is considered very good to bring Ganapati home and worship him. The auspicious time for establishment of Ganpati is from 10:50 am to 12:52 pm and the most auspicious time is from 12:52 pm to 2:56 pm.
Rituals
At the beginning of the festival people bring Ganesh idols to their home. Houses are fully decorated to welcome the deity. Large Pandals are seen with huge idols of Bhagwan Ganesh. There are four main rituals which are performed during the 10-day period namely:
Pranapratishta- A Ritual performed by the pandit to invoke life in the diety with the mantras.
Shhodashopachara- The prayers offered to Bhagwan Ganesh is in 16 different ways.
Uttarapuja- A ritual performed while bidding farewell to Bhagwan Ganesh
Ganpati Visarjan (Immersion)- The ritual wherein the statue is now immersed in water, with people chanting in Marathi ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya’ which means ‘Goodbye bhagwan, return soon next year’.
