The story of ganesh chaturthi is
Goddess Parvati shaped Lord Ganesha out of the sandalwood dough, which she used for her bath and breathed life into him and called it her son. Now that very day she asked him to guard at the door she went to have her bath. When goddess Parvati’s husband, Shiva came back, the sandalwood made child who never had seen God Shiva, stopped him. This act of his made Shiva furious and he chopped off the head of the child and entered his house. Parvati, when discovered that her hand made son was no more, was distraught and pleaded Shiva to bring him back to life. Finding his wife shattered, Shiva cut off the head of baby elephant and fixed it on the body of Ganesha and since then Ganesha is the unique God who carries of his elephantine head with all the pride. With many more tales entitled to him he is the only God in India who is worshipped before any new job or any new activity is to be done. That no doubt seems so very interesting.This day, when Lord Ganesha was sculpted out from the sandalwood dough, is celebrated as Ganesha Chaturthi and is his birthday. The mood of this festival is bold and over enthusiastic as compared to the other rituals and festivities celebrated here in India. One thing that caught my attention was the days dedicated to this festival, i.e. the celebration continues for five, seven, or ten days, some even stretching it to twenty one days, but now this long celebration is slowly becoming compact, courtesy the fast pace lifestyle, but then the ten day celebration is decent enough and the most popular. According to the Hindu calendar this festival commences in the month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the fourth day of the waxing moon period. The date usually falls between 20 August and 15 September.The entire ten day affair is carnival, a fun and frolic event for the people. The first day goes all busy with the installation of the Ganesha’s effigy in the homes. And these homes are all decked and brightened up and ooze out all the traditional grace possible, making the entire site look all jovial and jubilant, and with the new age people here who finely blend the traditions and modernity give a twist to such events by theme based decoration or focusing on some current affair. This is something so cool.And then where there are space constraints like those living in compact flats in buildings – all come together creating a pandal (also can be called as a lavish ceremonial gate or a place) which solves the purpose and a big idol of the God is placed in here. The priest chants the mantras which symbolically put life into the idol calling this ritual as ‘Pran Prathistha’ and it is believed that these 10 days Lord Ganesha live with them, and so again symbolically Ganesha is offered red flowers, grass blades and to eat Coconut, Jaggery, 21 Modaks (A modak is a dumpling made from rice flour/wheat flour with a stuffing of fresh or dry-grated coconut, jaggery, dry fruits and some other condiments. It is either steam-cooked or fried). The statue is anointed with red unguent, typically made of Kumkum & Sandalwood paste. Vedic hymns from the Hindu scriptures are chanted throughout the ceremony giving the feel of purity and placidity.The 11th day is the final day of this gala event and with all the singing, dancing and fanfare the statue in all its glory is carried through the jam packed streets in a procession to be immersed in a river or the sea epitomizing a custom to see-off of the Lord on his voyage towards his abode in Kailash (Himalaya) and along with him he happily takes away the bad luck of his devotees, and all this portrayal is known as ‘Ganesh Visarjan’.Singing aloud “Ganapathi Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukar ya” (O father Ganesha, come again speedily next year) can also force you to start taping your feet. And eventually, with the final offering of the flowers and coconut, with the entire dance and singing the high spirited crowds the big or small idols are immersed in the water, putting an end to ten day stretch of feasting and gatherings.