10 facts about Ganesha and Ganesh Chaturthi you would love to know

Ganesh Galli Ganpati

Ganesh Utsav or Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the biggest festivals of the country, especially Maharashtra. As Ganesh Chaturthi celebration began in Mumbai today, let us take a look at 10 lesser known facts about Lord Ganesha and his birthday:

1. Ganesh Chaturthi is observed during the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon).

2. Shhodashopachara is one of the four main rituals observed during Ganesh Chaturthi. Shhodashopachara means 16 ways of paying tribute to Lord Ganesha. The 16 steps include Aavaahana, Pratishthapan, Aasana Samarpana, Arghya Samarpan, Achamana, Madhuparka, Snaana, Vastra Samapana, Yagyopavit, Gandha, Pushpa, Dhoopa, Deepa, Naivedya and Taamblooa.

3. Lord Ganesha is also worshiped in countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Nepal, and China.

4. Apart from modaks, Puran Poli also makes for one of the major and popular sweets during Ganesh Chaturthi. Like modaks, Puran Poli can also be offered as ‘bhog' to the Lord and later served as Prasad. Apart from these two, Karanji is another popular sweet offered to the Lord Ganesha.

5. Two different stories revolve around Ganesha's birth. One story says that Goddess Parvati created Lord Ganesha out of dirt off her body when she was bathing and set him to guard her door until she finished. During that time, Ganesha was not aware of Shiva who went out. So, when Shiva returned, Ganesha stopped him from entering. There emerged a fight between the two and Shiva in a fit of rage severed the head of Ganesha. Looking at this, Parvati got furious, and Shiva promised Ganesha will live again. The lords went out in search of a head facing north of a dead person, but could only manage the head of an elephant. Shiva had no other option but to fix the elephant's head and bring Ganesha back to life. The other legend says that Ganesha was created by Shiva and Parvati, on the request of Devas. The Devas wanted Ganesha to be a vighnakartaa (obstacle-creator) in the path of rakshasas (and a vighnahartaa (obstacle-averter) to help the Devas.

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6. Though many believe that Lord Ganesha is a bachelor, yet there are numerous instances where Ganesha is represented with two wives-Ridhi and Sidhi.

7. The first Ganesh Chaturthi celebration dates back to the era of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja. The festival continued to be celebrated by the Peshwas. However, after the fall of the Peshwas, the festival was revived by freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak during 1893.

8. Throughout Ganesh Chaturthi, Vedic hymns from the Rig Veda, the Ganapati Atharva Shirsha Upanishad, and the Ganesha stotra from the Narada Purana are chanted.

9. It is believed that Lord Shiva gave a boon to Ganesha that he would be worshipped before any other Lord. He was thereby declared superior to all gods.

10. It is believed that reciting 108 names of Lord Ganesha during the festival brings good luck to the devotees.