Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival in which entire nation celebrates and welcomes Lord Ganesh.I always love the festival celebration because I get a day off from work and I get a chance to visit my home.India is one of the most religious countries. Indian celebrates many festivals throughout the year which bring them closer to each other.

Lord Ganesh is considered as the god of beginning and obstacle remover. Ganesh Chaturthi is a major Hindu festival celebrated across the India, especially in the Maharashtra. The Entire nation celebrates and welcomes Lord Ganesh. The festival lasts for around 1 to 12 days, wherein devotees bring Ganesh idol at home and chants mantras, after prayers devotees share a prasad (sweets) among the people. Modak considered as Ganesh favorite food item. At the end, Ganesh Visarjan (immersion of Ganesh Idol) into water or river or sea is the part of the rituals.

Lord Ganesh

Small Boy in Ganesh Costume

Devotees offering a Prasad

Each festival has it’s own mythological stories and purpose. Here is the story of how Lord Ganesh was born and how he acquired elephant head, which I heard from elders.

Lord Ganesh was a son of Parvati, who created Ganesh with sandalwood paste. After creation she asked Ganesh to watch around and do not let any one come in the house until she takes a bath.Sometime later, Lord Shiva the husband of Parvati arrived and tried to enter in the house, but Ganesh didn’t allow him to go inside the his own house. Lord Shiva wasn’t aware of Ganesh, but he got annoyed and cutt off the Ganesh’s head. After seeing this Parvati got angry and asked Shiva to bring her son back alive. So Shiva called devas and asked them to bring the head of first dead person. Devas searched a lot but could not able to get head of any human. On returning back they discovered the dead elephant so they brought that elephant’s head and gave it to Shiva and then shiva put the head of an elephant on the Ganesh and gave a life to Ganesh.

Ganesh aarti before the visharjan

Small kids enjoying Ganesh festival

Crowd for Ganesh Visarjan at Dahanu Beach

My most favorite part of the festival is Ganesh Visarjan. My family and friends go to seashore nearby.The beaches are very crowded at the time of Visarjan. At the time of Visarjan people, prays to Lord Ganesh and ask him to protect their family in the bad situations.

People bringing Ganesh at the beach

Ganesh Visarjan

Diyas & aarti plate

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