Ganpati Bappa Morya!!!!
Yes, we have heard these words echo across the county. It marks the arrival of Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayak Chaturthi. It is one of the most celebrated festival in India especially across Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and couple of other states. It is celebrated to honour the birth of Ganesha, and also to honor the arrival of Ganesha to earth from Kailash Parvat.
Lokmanya Gangadhar Tilak used this festival as a forum to bring public together during the independence time. Since then this festival is not only celebrated at home, but also as a public festival. During this festival clay idols of Ganesha are placed in a clean environment, they are offered with Ganesh’s favourite sweets (Modak) and Aarthi is done twice a day once in morning and evening. The pandals are decorated with colors and lights. This festival is celebrated over 10 days. Visarjan is done during the last couple of days and the clay idol Is given a bath in river or lake water. The arrival and departure of the idol is done with great celebration, dance and the dhol sound echoing across the streets.
This festival has a big religious importance, and at the same time it helps bring people together and celebrate it.
Wish you all a Happy Ganesh Chaturthi.
Good Article, thanks for writing.