Ganesha Puja
India is a land of diverse races, religions, casteism and cultures. But there is unity in spite of rich diversity. Each state of India has its typical culture and celebrate it with great fervor and gaiety. Every year Ganesha Puja is celebrated in the month of August or September. It is celebrated with great pomp and show, zeal and gusto. The festival continues for seven days.
This festival commemorates the birth of Ganesha. The son of Lord Shiva. Many myths and legends are connected with Ganesha, Lord Shiva in wrath cut off the head of his son, Ganesha. Parvati, was in great grief and sorrow. She begged Lord Shiva to bring her son back to life. Lord Shiva wandered from place to place in search of a son whose mother was sleeping with her back towards her son. He searched and searched but could not get the success. At last he found a she elephant sleeping with her back towards her son. Lord Shiva cut off the head of the baby elephant and fixed it on the body of his son Ganesha. This is how Ganesha came to have trunk of an elephant and the body of a man.
Ganesha Puja is celebrated in Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat and many other states in our country. This festival is mostly celebrated in Maharashtra. The people of Maharashtra celebrate the festival by offering worship and prayer to Ganesha. All the seven days of the festival are dedicated to song, dance and rejoicings. Hymns are chanted the festival, houses are cleaned and white washed and they are tastefully decorated with multi-coloured flowers. A cay idol of Ganesha is made in every home.After making the idol of Ganesha, it is painted. It is the object of worship throughout the festival week. The favorite dishes of Ganesha are prepared and offered to the idol. People spare no pains to appears the deity. It is believed that Ganesha is very fond of Laddoos. So Laddoos of the finest quality are prepared and offered to Ganesha. The offering of Laddoos are a special feature of Ganesha Puja festival. It is believed to be the purest way of pleasing the deity and winning his favors and blessings.
The seventh day is the day of farewell of Ganesha. A large fair is held on the bank of a river or a stream. People carry the clay idols of Ganesha on their heads in the form of procession. The procession is accomplished by the beating of drums. Along with the drums, singing of songs and performance of dances are also accompanied. The clay idols of Ganesha are ceremoniously immersed into the water. The immersion ceremony is very thrilling, exciting and fascinating. Men, women and children join the fair carried about in boats on the surface of the water and then they are immersed. Soon after the immersion,sweets are distributed among the children. We forget all our bitter feelings on this day and embrace one another with affection and love. At fair, children buy toys and balloon and come back home happily.
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