Grand Arrival of Lord Ganesha

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi. It’s believed that Lord Ganesha was born on the 4th day of Shukla Paksha in the bhadrapada month, which falls this year on 31st August as per the Gregorian calendar.

It’s a ten-day festival to celebrate the birth of Lord Ganesha, the God of wisdom and prosperity. It became a prime and public festival under the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Maratha King. In 1893, the first leader of the Indian independence movement, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak started the Ganesh Utsav at a massive scale, as a tool of freedom struggle, to unite the common people.

Hindus bring idols of Lord Ganesha to their homes and worship to attain success in their endeavors. They offer Durva (grass) and Modak (laddoo) to Him and distribute prasadam among the devotees. Public Pandals are also set up by various associations, societies and organisations during the 10-day festival.

In order to appease any God, the Hindu devotees first offer prayers to Lord Ganesha and then proceed with the other deity’s worship. As Lord Ganesha brings in positivity, every auspicious work begins after worshipping Him. He is considered “Pratham Pujya“, worshipped first among all Gods. He is also treated as “Vighna Harta“, who removes all the evils and obstacles.

Lord Ganesha and Symbolism:

Lord Ganesha is bestowed with a special body with the head of an elephant and the remaining parts of human body.

Every part of His body has its own significance from the management angle too, and symbolises certain qualities that a man in general, and a strategic leader in particular, must possess to achieve success.

In brief, these are as under:

1. Big head: Think big, out of the box
2. Large ears: Listen more attentively
3. Small mouth: Talk less
4. Big eyes: Look beyond what you see
5. Broken tusk: Retain good, throw away bad
6. Axe: To cut off all bonds of materialistic attachment
7. Trunk: High efficiency and adaptability
8. Large stomach: Peacefully digest all good and bad in life
9. Ladoo (sweet): Rewards of hard labour
10. Mouse: Ride on the desires and keep them under control

Lord Ganesha’s message:
I’m coming once again this year,
But my message is loud and clear,
I’m present in every lovely creature,
That has been created by the mother nature,
My arrival or departure every year is just a ritual,
As I remain with all of you as ever as usual,
Don’t bring costly golden flowers and grass,
Fresh ones from your courtyard will suffice,
And there only you try to immerse me,
So that I can take care of you when necessary…

A Prayer:
गणपति बाप्पा मोरया!
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्य कोटी समप्रभा
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्व-कार्येशु सर्वदा !!
(O Ganesha, of huge body with elephant head, shining like billions of suns, O God, remove all obstacles from my endeavours, forever.)

A Wish:
Let peace, prosperity and tranquility prevail all across the universe !!!

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to all !!!!

–Kaushal Kishore