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Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi (ISO: Gaṇeśa Caturthī), also known as Vinayak Chaturthi (Vināyaka Caturthī), or Ganeshotsav (Gaṇeśōtsava) is a Hindu festival commemorating the birth of the Hindu god Ganesha.[3] The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's clay idols privately in homes and publicly on elaborate pandals (temporary stages). Observances include chanting of Vedic hymns and Hindu texts, such as prayers and vrata (fasting).[3] Offerings and prasada from the daily prayers, that are distributed from the pandal to the community, include sweets such as modaka as it is believed to be a favourite of Ganesha.[4][5] The festival ends on the tenth day after start, when the idol is carried in a public procession with music and group chanting, then immersed in a nearby body of water such as a river or sea, called visarjan on the day of Anant Chaturdashi. In Mumbai alone, around 150,000 statues are immersed annually.[6] Thereafter the clay idol dissolves and Ganesha is believed to return to his celestial abode.[3][7]

Ganesh Chaturthi
Official nameChatur/Vinayaka Chaturthi/Vinayaka Chavithi
Also calledChavithi, Chouthi, Ganeshotsav
Observed byHindus
TypeReligious
CelebrationsChanting of Vedic hymns and Hindu texts, prayers, last day: processions, idol immersion
Ends11 days after the start
DateBhadra Shukla Chaturthi
2022 date31 August[1]
2023 date19 September[2]
FrequencyAnnual
Explanatory note
Hindu festival dates

The Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. A lunar day is uniquely identified by three calendar elements: māsa (lunar month), pakṣa (lunar fortnight) and tithi (lunar day).

Furthermore, when specifying the masa, one of two traditions are applicable, viz. amānta / pūrṇimānta. Iff a festival falls in the waning phase of the moon, these two traditions identify the same lunar day as falling in two different (but successive) masa.

A lunar year is shorter than a solar year by about eleven days. As a result, most Hindu festivals occur on different days in successive years on the Gregorian calendar.

The festival celebrates Ganesha as the God of New Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles as well as the god of wisdom and intelligence[8][9] and is observed throughout India, especially in the states such as Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Goa.[3][10] Ganesh Chaturthi is also observed in Nepal and by the Hindu diaspora elsewhere such as in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, other parts of the Caribbean, Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa,[11] the United States, and Europe. In the Gregorian calendar, Ganesh Chaturthi falls between 22 August and 20 September every year.[7][12][13]

Although it was unknown when or where Ganesh Chaturthi was first observed, the public celebration was initiated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in Pune in the year 1893. At public venues, along with the reading of texts and group feasting, athletic and martial arts competitions are also held.[14]

History

 
Ganesha, Basohli miniature, circa 1730.

Ganesha

Though not alluding to the classical form of Ganapati, the earliest mention of Ganapati is found in the Rigveda. It appears twice in the Rigveda, once in shloka 2.23.1, as well as in shloka 10.112.9.[15][16][17] Both of these shlokas imply a role of Ganapati as "the seer among the seers, abounding beyond measure in food presiding among the elders and being the lord of an invocation", while the shloka in mandala 10 states that without Ganapati "nothing nearby or afar is performed without you", according to Michael.[15][18] However, it is uncertain that the Vedic term Ganapati which literally means "guardian of the multitudes", referred specifically to later era Ganesh, nor do the Vedic texts mention Ganesh Chaturthi.[19] It appears in post-Vedic texts such as the Grhya Sutras and thereafter ancient Sanskrit texts such as the Vajasaneyi Samhita, the Yajnavalkya Smriti and the Mahabharata mention Ganapati as Ganesvaras and Vinayak. Ganesh appears in the medieval Puranas in the form of "god of success, obstacle remover". The Skanda Purana, Narada Purana and the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, in particular, profusely praise him. [20] Beyond textual interpretations, archaeological and epigraphical evidence suggest Ganesha had become popular, was revered before the 8th century CE and numerous images of him are traceable to the 7th century or earlier.

For example, carvings at Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain temples such as at the Ellora Caves, dated between the 5th and 8th-century show Ganesha reverentially seated with major Hindu goddess (Shakti).[21]

Festival

 
Ganesh Agman

Although it is unknown when (or how) Ganesh Chaturthi was first observed,[22] the festival has been publicly celebrated in Pune since the era of King Shivaji (1630–1680, founder of the Maratha Empire).[22] The Peshwa in the 18th century were devotees of Ganesha and started as a public Ganesh festival in their capital city of Pune during the month of Bhadrapad.[23] After the start of the British Raj, the Ganesh festival lost state patronage and became a private family celebration in Maharashtra until its revival by Indian freedom fighter and social reformer Lokmanya Tilak.[22][24] Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak,[25] championed it as a means to circumvent the colonial British government ban on Hindu gatherings through its anti-public assembly legislation in 1892.[26][27][28]

I followed with the greatest curiosity crowds who carried in procession an infinite number of idols of the God Ganesh. Each little quarter of the town, each family with its adherents, each little street corner I may almost say, organizes a procession of its own, and the poorest may be seen carrying on a simple plank their little idol or of paper mâché... A crowd, more or less numerous, accompanies the idol, clapping hands and raises cries of joy, while a little orchestra generally precedes the idol.
– Angelo de Gubernatis, Bombay Gazette (1886)[29][30]

According to others such as Kaur, the festival became a public event later, in 1892 when Bhausaheb Laxman Javale (also known as Bhau Rangari), installed the first sarvajanik (public) Ganesha idol in Pune.[31] In 1893, the Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak praised the celebration of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav in his newspaper, Kesari, and dedicated his efforts to launch the annual domestic festival into a large, well-organised public event.[32] Tilak recognised Ganesh's appeal as "the god for everybody",[33] and according to Robert Brown, he chose Ganesha as the god that bridged "the gap between Brahmins and non-Brahmins", thereby building a grassroots unity across them to oppose British colonial rule.[34]

Other scholars state that the British Empire, after 1870 out of fear of seditious assemblies, had passed a series of ordinances that banned public assembly for social and political purposes of more than 20 people in British India, but exempted religious assembly for Friday mosque prayers under pressure from the Indian Muslim community. Tilak believed that this effectively blocked the public assembly of Hindus whose religion did not mandate daily prayers or weekly gatherings, and he leveraged this religious exemption to make Ganesh Chaturthi to circumvent the British colonial law on large public assembly.[25][26][28] He was the first to install large public images of Ganesha in pavilions in Bombay Presidency, and other celebratory events at the festival.[35]

God Ganesh: political obstacle remover

Why shouldn't we convert the large religious festivals
into mass political rallies?

—Lokmanya Tilak, Kesari, 8 September 1896[36]

[note 1]

According to Richard Cashman, Tilak recruited and passionately committed himself to god Ganesha after the 1893 Hindu-Muslim communal violence in Bombay and the Deccan riots, when he felt that the British India government under Lord Harris had repeatedly taken sides and not treated Hindus fairly because Hindus were not well organised.[41] In Tilak's estimate, Ganesha worship and processions were already popular in rural and urban Hindu populations, across social castes and classes in Baroda, Gwalior, Pune and most of the Maratha region in the 18th century.[42] In 1893, Tilak helped expand Ganesh Chaturthi festival into a mass community event and a hidden means for political activism, intellectual discourse, poetry recitals, plays, concerts, and folk dances.[43]

In Goa, Ganesh Chaturthi predates the Kadamba era. The Goa Inquisition had banned Hindu festivals, and Hindus who did not convert to Christianity were severely restricted. However, Hindu Goans continued to practice their religion despite the restrictions. Many families worship Ganesha in the form of patri (leaves used for worshiping Ganesha or other gods), a picture is drawn on paper or small silver idols. In some households Ganesha idols are hidden, a feature unique to Ganesh Chaturthi in Goa due to a ban on clay Ganesha idols and festivals by the Jesuits as part of the Inquisition.[44]

Celebration in India

 
Artist preparing Ganesh's image for the festival in Margao, Goa

In India, Ganesh Chaturthi is primarily celebrated at home and in public by local community groups in the central and western states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Goa and the southern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and eastern states of West Bengal and Odisha and in North eastern states of Assam.

On the same day, Chaurchan festival is celebrated in Mithila region of Bihar which is related to Ganesha and the moon-god Chandra.[45][46]

The date for the festival is usually decided by the presence of Chaturthi Thithi. The festival is held during "Bhadrapada Madyahanaa Purvabaddha". If the Chaturthi Thiti begins at night on the previous day and gets over by morning on next day, then the next day is observed as Vinayaka Chaturthi. In the consecration ceremony, a priest performs a Prana Pratishtha to invite Ganesh like a guest. This is followed by the 16-step Shodashopachara ritual,[47] (Sanskrit: Shodash, 16; Upachara, process) during which coconut, jaggery, modaks, durva grass and red hibiscus (Jaswand) flowers[48] are offered to the idol. Depending on the region and time zone, the ceremony commences with hymns from the Rigveda, the Ganapati Atharvashirsa, the Upanishads and the Ganesh stotra (prayer) from the Narada Purana are chanted. In Maharashtra as well as Goa, Aartis are performed with friends and family, typically in the morning and evening.

In preparation for the festival, artisans create clay models of Ganesha for sale. The images (murtis) range in size from 20 mm (34 in) for homes to over 20 m (70 ft) for large community celebrations.[49]

On the last day of the festival, the tradition of Ganesh visarjan or nimajjanam (lit. "immersion") takes places, when the Ganesha images are immersed in a river, sea or water body. On the last day, the devotees come out in processions carrying the idols of Ganesha, culminating in immersion. It is believed that the god who comes to the earthly realm on Ganesh Chaturthi, returns to his celestial abode after immersion. The celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi also denotes the significance of the cycle of birth, life and death. It is believed that when the idol of the Ganesha is taken out for immersion, it also takes away with it the various obstacles of the house and these obstacles are destroyed along with the immersion. Every year, people wait with great anticipation to celebrate the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi.[50]

Domestic celebration

 
A domestic celebration of Ganesh during Ganesh Chaturthi in a Maharashtrian home

In Maharashtra, Ganesh Chaturthi is known as Ganeshotsav. Families install small clay statues for worship during the festival.[51] At home, the festival preparation includes purchases such as puja items or accessories a few days in advance and booking the Ganesh murti as early as a month beforehand (from local artisans). The murti is brought home either a day before or on the day of the Ganesh Chaturthi itself. Families decorate a small, clean portion of the house with flowers and other colourful items before installing the idol. When the Murti is installed, it and its shrine are decorated with flowers and other materials. On the day of the festival, The ceremonial installation of the clay murti (idol) is done along with chants of holy mantras and pooja including bhajans during a certain auspicious period of the day. The Murti is worshipped in the morning and evening with offerings of flowers, durva (strands of young grass), karanji and modaks (jaggery and coconut flakes wrapped in rice flour dumplings).[4][52][53] The worship ends with the singing of an aarti in honour of Ganesh, other Gods and Saints.

In Maharashtra the Marathi aarti "Sukhakarta Dukhaharta", composed by the 17th-century saint, Samarth Ramdas is sung.[54] Family traditions differ about when to end the celebration. Domestic celebrations end after 1+12, 3, 5, 7 or 11 days. At that time the Murti is ceremoniously brought to a body of water (such as a lake, river or the sea) for immersion. In Maharashtra, Ganeshotsav also incorporates other festivals, namely Hartalika and the Gauri festival, the former is observed with a fast by women on the day before Ganesh Chaturthi whilst the latter by the installation of statues of Gauris.[55] In some communities such as the Chitpavan, and the CKP, pebbles collected from river bank are installed as representations of Gauri.[56]

In Goa, Ganesh Chaturthi is known as Chavath in Konkani and Parab or Parva ("auspicious celebration");[57] it begins on the third day of the lunar month of Bhadrapada. On this day Parvati and Shiva are worshipped by women, who fast.[58] Instruments such as ghumots, Crash cymbals (ताळ(taal) in Konkani) and pakhavaj (an Indian barrel-shaped, two-headed drum) are played during the rituals.[59] The harvest festival, Navyachi Pancham, is celebrated the next day; freshly harvested paddy is brought home from the fields (or temples) and a puja is conducted. Communities who ordinarily eat seafood refrain from doing so during the festival.[58]

In Karnataka the Gowri festival precedes Ganesh Chaturthi, and people across the state wish each other well. In Andhra Pradesh, Ganesh Murtis of clay (Matti Vinayakudu) and turmeric (Siddhi Vinayakudu) are usually worshipped at home with plaster of Paris Murti's.[citation needed]

Public celebration

 
Ganesh Visarjan in Mumbai
 
Ganpati idol in Pune

Public celebrations of the festival are popular, and are organised by local youth groups, neighbourhood associations or groups of tradespeople. Funds for the public festival are collected from members of the association arranging the celebration, local residents and businesses.[60] The Ganesh idols and accompanying statues are installed in temporary shelters, known as mandaps or pandals. Public preparations begin months in advance. The making of the Murti in Maharashtra usually begins with "Padya pooja" or worshipping the feet of Ganesh. The Murti's are brought to "pandals" on the day or a day before the festival begins. The pandals have elaborate decoration and lighting.[61]

The festival features cultural activities such as singing, theatre and orchestral performances and community activities such as free medical checkups, blood-donation sites and donations to the poor. Ganesh Chaturthi, in addition to its religious aspects, is an important economic activity in Mumbai, Surat, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Kurnool. Many artists, industries, and businesses earn a significant amount of their living from the festival, which is a stage for budding artists. Members of other religions also participate in the celebration.[62][63][64]

In Tamil Nadu, the festival, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Pillayar Chaturthi, falls on the fourth day after the new moon in the month of Āvaṇi in the Tamil calendar. The idols are usually made of clay or papier-mâché,[65] since Plaster of Paris idols have been banned by the state government,[66][67] but violations of this rule are often reported.[68] Idols are also made of coconuts and other organic products. They are worshipped for several days in pandals, and immersed in the Bay of Bengal the following Sunday. In Kerala the festival is also known as Lamboodhara Piranalu, which falls in the month of Chingam.[69] In Thiruvananthapuram a procession marches from the Pazhavangadi Ganapathi Temple to Shankumugham Beach, with tall statues of Ganesha made from organic items and milk immersed in the sea.[70]

At prominent temples

At Varasidhi Vinayaka Swamy Temple in Kanipakam, Andhra Pradesh, annual brahmotsavams will be celebrated for 21 days starting from Vinayaka Chavithi day. The processional deity of Vinayaka (Ganesh) will be taken in a procession on different vahanams on these days amidst large number of pilgrims across the country.[71]

Celebration outside India

 
Ganesh Chaturthi celebration by the Sri Lankan Tamil community in France

In Pakistan, Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations are conducted by the Shri Maharashtra Panchayat, an organisation for Maharashtrians in Karachi.[72]

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in the UK by the British Hindu population living there. The Hindu Culture and Heritage Society, a Southall-based organisation, celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi for the first time in London in 2005 at the Vishwa Hindu Temple; and the idol was immersed in the River Thames at Putney Pier[citation needed]. Another celebration, organised by a Gujarati group, has been celebrated in Southend-on-Sea, and attracted an estimated 18,000 devotees.[73] Annual celebrations are also held on the River Mersey in Liverpool.[74][75]

The Philadelphia Ganesh Festival is one of the most popular celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi in North America,[76] and it is also celebrated in Canada (particularly in the Toronto area), Mauritius, Malaysia and Singapore. The Mauritius festival dates back to 1896,[77] and the Mauritian government has made it a public holiday.[78] In Malaysia and Singapore, the festival is more commonly known as Vinayagar Chaturthi because of the large Tamil-speaking Hindu minority.[79]

In Ghana, ethnic African Hindus celebrate Ganesh Chaturti.[80]

Foods

 
 
Modaka are sweet dumplings, the traditional offerings and prasada in Ganesh Chaturthi. Left: steamed with fillings, Right: Fried

The primary sweet dish during the festival is Modak (modak in Marathi and Konkani, modakam or kudumu in Telugu, modaka or kadubu in Kannada, kozhakatta or modakkam in Malayalam and kozhukattai or modagam in Tamil). A modak is a dumpling made from rice or wheat flour, stuffed with grated coconut, [jaggery], dried fruits and other condiments and steamed or fried. Another popular sweet dish is the karanji (karjikai in Kannada), similar to modak in composition and taste but in a semicircular shape. This sweet meal is called Nevri in Goa and is synonymous with Ganesh festival amongst the Goans and the Konkani diaspora.[81]

In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana modak, laddu, vundrallu (steamed, coarsely ground rice-flour balls), panakam (a jaggery-, black pepper- and cardamom-flavoured drink), vadapappu (soaked moong lentils) and chalividi (a cooked rice flour and jaggery mixture) are offered to Ganesh. These offerings are known as naivedya, and a plate of modak traditionally holds 21 pieces of the sweet. In Goa, modak and a Goan version of idli (sanna) is popular.[82]

Panchakajjaya is an offering made to Lord Ganesh during this festival in parts of Karnataka. It is a mixture of desiccated coconut, roasted Bengal gram powder, sugar, ghee, and sesame. Different versions of panchakajjaya are made. Roasted Bengal gram, green gram, roasted chana dal (putani) or aval can be used.[83]

Environmental impact

The Madras High Court ruled in 2004 that immersion of Ganesh idols is unlawful because it incorporates chemicals that pollute the sea water.[84] In Goa the sale of plaster-of-Paris Ganesha idols has been banned by the state government and celebrants are encouraged to buy traditional, artisan-made clay idols.[85] Recent initiatives to produce traditional clay Ganesh idols in Hyderabad have been sponsored by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board.[86][87] Environmental concern is also making people in Gujarat to opt for Ganesh Idols made with a mixture of cow dung and clay. These are marketed as "Vedic Ganesh idols" by the organization making them.[88]

Due to environmental concerns, a number of families now avoid bodies of water and let the clay statue disintegrate in a barrel of water at home. After a few days, the clay is spread in the garden. In some cities a public, eco-friendly process is used for the immersion.[89]

Gallery

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The transformation of Ganesh Chaturthi into a major annual religious and politically significant procession event started in 1894. According to Aslam Syed, the Ganesh statue immersion ritual in the western states of India may have grown because the annual gathering and procession by Shia Muslims on Muharram was allowed by the colonial British government in the 19th and early 20th century, and after the ritual mourning of the death of the 7th century Imam, they would immerse Tazia (Taboots) into river or ocean.[37] The Hindus expanded their own Ganesh processions by walking through the streets, joyfully dancing and reciting their scriptural verses and ended their procession with a ceremonial immersion of Ganesh. The colonial British government attempted to introduce procession licence, to Muslims only, which Hindu leaders presented as evidence of discriminatory oppression by the Muslims and the British. The Hindu leaders such as Tilak defied any attempts to selectively stop the Hindu congregational gathering and processions associated with Ganesh Chaturthi.[37][38] The right to organise processions and immersion rituals of Tazia by Muslims, and Ganesh by Hindus, have remained a religious and equal rights issue ever since, particularly when the religious calendars overlap.[39][40]

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Bibliography

  • Getty, Alice (1936). Gaṇeśa: A Monograph on the Elephant-Faced God (1992 reprint ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-8121503778.
  • Grimes, John A. (1995), Ganapati: Song of the Self, SUNY Series in Religious Studies, Albany: State University of New York Press, ISBN 0-7914-2440-5
  • Heras, H. (1972), The Problem of Ganapati, Delhi: Indological Book House
  • Michael, S. M. (1983). "The Origin of the Ganapati Cult" (PDF). Asian Folklore Studies. 42 (1): 91–116. doi:10.2307/1178368. JSTOR 1178368. Alternate Link

External links

  •   Media related to Ganesh Chaturthi at Wikimedia Commons

ganesh, chaturthi, gaṇeśa, caturthī, also, known, vinayak, chaturthi, vināyaka, caturthī, ganeshotsav, gaṇeśōtsava, hindu, festival, commemorating, birth, hindu, ganesha, festival, marked, with, installation, ganesha, clay, idols, privately, homes, publicly, e. Ganesh Chaturthi ISO Gaṇesa Caturthi also known as Vinayak Chaturthi Vinayaka Caturthi or Ganeshotsav Gaṇesōtsava is a Hindu festival commemorating the birth of the Hindu god Ganesha 3 The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha s clay idols privately in homes and publicly on elaborate pandals temporary stages Observances include chanting of Vedic hymns and Hindu texts such as prayers and vrata fasting 3 Offerings and prasada from the daily prayers that are distributed from the pandal to the community include sweets such as modaka as it is believed to be a favourite of Ganesha 4 5 The festival ends on the tenth day after start when the idol is carried in a public procession with music and group chanting then immersed in a nearby body of water such as a river or sea called visarjan on the day of Anant Chaturdashi In Mumbai alone around 150 000 statues are immersed annually 6 Thereafter the clay idol dissolves and Ganesha is believed to return to his celestial abode 3 7 Ganesh ChaturthiLalbaugcha Raja MumbaiOfficial nameChatur Vinayaka Chaturthi Vinayaka ChavithiAlso calledChavithi Chouthi GaneshotsavObserved byHindusTypeReligiousCelebrationsChanting of Vedic hymns and Hindu texts prayers last day processions idol immersionEnds11 days after the startDateBhadra Shukla Chaturthi2022 date31 August 1 2023 date19 September 2 FrequencyAnnualExplanatory noteHindu festival datesThe Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar A lunar day is uniquely identified by three calendar elements masa lunar month pakṣa lunar fortnight and tithi lunar day Furthermore when specifying the masa one of two traditions are applicable viz amanta purṇimanta Iff a festival falls in the waning phase of the moon these two traditions identify the same lunar day as falling in two different but successive masa A lunar year is shorter than a solar year by about eleven days As a result most Hindu festivals occur on different days in successive years on the Gregorian calendar vteThe festival celebrates Ganesha as the God of New Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles as well as the god of wisdom and intelligence 8 9 and is observed throughout India especially in the states such as Tamil Nadu Maharashtra Karnataka Kerala Andhra Pradesh and Goa 3 10 Ganesh Chaturthi is also observed in Nepal and by the Hindu diaspora elsewhere such as in Australia New Zealand Canada Singapore Malaysia Trinidad and Tobago Guyana Suriname other parts of the Caribbean Fiji Mauritius South Africa 11 the United States and Europe In the Gregorian calendar Ganesh Chaturthi falls between 22 August and 20 September every year 7 12 13 Although it was unknown when or where Ganesh Chaturthi was first observed the public celebration was initiated by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in Pune in the year 1893 At public venues along with the reading of texts and group feasting athletic and martial arts competitions are also held 14 Contents 1 History 1 1 Ganesha 1 2 Festival 2 Celebration in India 2 1 Domestic celebration 2 2 Public celebration 2 3 At prominent temples 3 Celebration outside India 4 Foods 5 Environmental impact 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 9 1 Bibliography 10 External linksHistory Edit Ganesha Basohli miniature circa 1730 Ganesha Edit Further information Ganesha Though not alluding to the classical form of Ganapati the earliest mention of Ganapati is found in the Rigveda It appears twice in the Rigveda once in shloka 2 23 1 as well as in shloka 10 112 9 15 16 17 Both of these shlokas imply a role of Ganapati as the seer among the seers abounding beyond measure in food presiding among the elders and being the lord of an invocation while the shloka in mandala 10 states that without Ganapati nothing nearby or afar is performed without you according to Michael 15 18 However it is uncertain that the Vedic term Ganapati which literally means guardian of the multitudes referred specifically to later era Ganesh nor do the Vedic texts mention Ganesh Chaturthi 19 It appears in post Vedic texts such as the Grhya Sutras and thereafter ancient Sanskrit texts such as the Vajasaneyi Samhita the Yajnavalkya Smriti and the Mahabharata mention Ganapati as Ganesvaras and Vinayak Ganesh appears in the medieval Puranas in the form of god of success obstacle remover The Skanda Purana Narada Purana and the Brahma Vaivarta Purana in particular profusely praise him 20 Beyond textual interpretations archaeological and epigraphical evidence suggest Ganesha had become popular was revered before the 8th century CE and numerous images of him are traceable to the 7th century or earlier For example carvings at Hindu Buddhist and Jain temples such as at the Ellora Caves dated between the 5th and 8th century show Ganesha reverentially seated with major Hindu goddess Shakti 21 Festival Edit Ganesh Agman Although it is unknown when or how Ganesh Chaturthi was first observed 22 the festival has been publicly celebrated in Pune since the era of King Shivaji 1630 1680 founder of the Maratha Empire 22 The Peshwa in the 18th century were devotees of Ganesha and started as a public Ganesh festival in their capital city of Pune during the month of Bhadrapad 23 After the start of the British Raj the Ganesh festival lost state patronage and became a private family celebration in Maharashtra until its revival by Indian freedom fighter and social reformer Lokmanya Tilak 22 24 Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak 25 championed it as a means to circumvent the colonial British government ban on Hindu gatherings through its anti public assembly legislation in 1892 26 27 28 I followed with the greatest curiosity crowds who carried in procession an infinite number of idols of the God Ganesh Each little quarter of the town each family with its adherents each little street corner I may almost say organizes a procession of its own and the poorest may be seen carrying on a simple plank their little idol or of paper mache A crowd more or less numerous accompanies the idol clapping hands and raises cries of joy while a little orchestra generally precedes the idol Angelo de Gubernatis Bombay Gazette 1886 29 30 According to others such as Kaur the festival became a public event later in 1892 when Bhausaheb Laxman Javale also known as Bhau Rangari installed the first sarvajanik public Ganesha idol in Pune 31 In 1893 the Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak praised the celebration of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav in his newspaper Kesari and dedicated his efforts to launch the annual domestic festival into a large well organised public event 32 Tilak recognised Ganesh s appeal as the god for everybody 33 and according to Robert Brown he chose Ganesha as the god that bridged the gap between Brahmins and non Brahmins thereby building a grassroots unity across them to oppose British colonial rule 34 Other scholars state that the British Empire after 1870 out of fear of seditious assemblies had passed a series of ordinances that banned public assembly for social and political purposes of more than 20 people in British India but exempted religious assembly for Friday mosque prayers under pressure from the Indian Muslim community Tilak believed that this effectively blocked the public assembly of Hindus whose religion did not mandate daily prayers or weekly gatherings and he leveraged this religious exemption to make Ganesh Chaturthi to circumvent the British colonial law on large public assembly 25 26 28 He was the first to install large public images of Ganesha in pavilions in Bombay Presidency and other celebratory events at the festival 35 God Ganesh political obstacle remover Why shouldn t we convert the large religious festivals into mass political rallies Lokmanya Tilak Kesari 8 September 1896 36 note 1 According to Richard Cashman Tilak recruited and passionately committed himself to god Ganesha after the 1893 Hindu Muslim communal violence in Bombay and the Deccan riots when he felt that the British India government under Lord Harris had repeatedly taken sides and not treated Hindus fairly because Hindus were not well organised 41 In Tilak s estimate Ganesha worship and processions were already popular in rural and urban Hindu populations across social castes and classes in Baroda Gwalior Pune and most of the Maratha region in the 18th century 42 In 1893 Tilak helped expand Ganesh Chaturthi festival into a mass community event and a hidden means for political activism intellectual discourse poetry recitals plays concerts and folk dances 43 In Goa Ganesh Chaturthi predates the Kadamba era The Goa Inquisition had banned Hindu festivals and Hindus who did not convert to Christianity were severely restricted However Hindu Goans continued to practice their religion despite the restrictions Many families worship Ganesha in the form of patri leaves used for worshiping Ganesha or other gods a picture is drawn on paper or small silver idols In some households Ganesha idols are hidden a feature unique to Ganesh Chaturthi in Goa due to a ban on clay Ganesha idols and festivals by the Jesuits as part of the Inquisition 44 Celebration in India Edit Artist preparing Ganesh s image for the festival in Margao Goa In India Ganesh Chaturthi is primarily celebrated at home and in public by local community groups in the central and western states of Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh Gujarat Rajasthan and Goa and the southern states of Karnataka Andhra Pradesh Telangana Tamil Nadu and eastern states of West Bengal and Odisha and in North eastern states of Assam On the same day Chaurchan festival is celebrated in Mithila region of Bihar which is related to Ganesha and the moon god Chandra 45 46 The date for the festival is usually decided by the presence of Chaturthi Thithi The festival is held during Bhadrapada Madyahanaa Purvabaddha If the Chaturthi Thiti begins at night on the previous day and gets over by morning on next day then the next day is observed as Vinayaka Chaturthi In the consecration ceremony a priest performs a Prana Pratishtha to invite Ganesh like a guest This is followed by the 16 step Shodashopachara ritual 47 Sanskrit Shodash 16 Upachara process during which coconut jaggery modaks durva grass and red hibiscus Jaswand flowers 48 are offered to the idol Depending on the region and time zone the ceremony commences with hymns from the Rigveda the Ganapati Atharvashirsa the Upanishads and the Ganesh stotra prayer from the Narada Purana are chanted In Maharashtra as well as Goa Aartis are performed with friends and family typically in the morning and evening In preparation for the festival artisans create clay models of Ganesha for sale The images murtis range in size from 20 mm 3 4 in for homes to over 20 m 70 ft for large community celebrations 49 On the last day of the festival the tradition of Ganesh visarjan or nimajjanam lit immersion takes places when the Ganesha images are immersed in a river sea or water body On the last day the devotees come out in processions carrying the idols of Ganesha culminating in immersion It is believed that the god who comes to the earthly realm on Ganesh Chaturthi returns to his celestial abode after immersion The celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi also denotes the significance of the cycle of birth life and death It is believed that when the idol of the Ganesha is taken out for immersion it also takes away with it the various obstacles of the house and these obstacles are destroyed along with the immersion Every year people wait with great anticipation to celebrate the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi 50 Domestic celebration Edit A domestic celebration of Ganesh during Ganesh Chaturthi in a Maharashtrian home In Maharashtra Ganesh Chaturthi is known as Ganeshotsav Families install small clay statues for worship during the festival 51 At home the festival preparation includes purchases such as puja items or accessories a few days in advance and booking the Ganesh murti as early as a month beforehand from local artisans The murti is brought home either a day before or on the day of the Ganesh Chaturthi itself Families decorate a small clean portion of the house with flowers and other colourful items before installing the idol When the Murti is installed it and its shrine are decorated with flowers and other materials On the day of the festival The ceremonial installation of the clay murti idol is done along with chants of holy mantras and pooja including bhajans during a certain auspicious period of the day The Murti is worshipped in the morning and evening with offerings of flowers durva strands of young grass karanji and modaks jaggery and coconut flakes wrapped in rice flour dumplings 4 52 53 The worship ends with the singing of an aarti in honour of Ganesh other Gods and Saints In Maharashtra the Marathi aarti Sukhakarta Dukhaharta composed by the 17th century saint Samarth Ramdas is sung 54 Family traditions differ about when to end the celebration Domestic celebrations end after 1 1 2 3 5 7 or 11 days At that time the Murti is ceremoniously brought to a body of water such as a lake river or the sea for immersion In Maharashtra Ganeshotsav also incorporates other festivals namely Hartalika and the Gauri festival the former is observed with a fast by women on the day before Ganesh Chaturthi whilst the latter by the installation of statues of Gauris 55 In some communities such as the Chitpavan and the CKP pebbles collected from river bank are installed as representations of Gauri 56 In Goa Ganesh Chaturthi is known as Chavath in Konkani and Parab or Parva auspicious celebration 57 it begins on the third day of the lunar month of Bhadrapada On this day Parvati and Shiva are worshipped by women who fast 58 Instruments such as ghumots Crash cymbals त ळ taal in Konkani and pakhavaj an Indian barrel shaped two headed drum are played during the rituals 59 The harvest festival Navyachi Pancham is celebrated the next day freshly harvested paddy is brought home from the fields or temples and a puja is conducted Communities who ordinarily eat seafood refrain from doing so during the festival 58 In Karnataka the Gowri festival precedes Ganesh Chaturthi and people across the state wish each other well In Andhra Pradesh Ganesh Murtis of clay Matti Vinayakudu and turmeric Siddhi Vinayakudu are usually worshipped at home with plaster of Paris Murti s citation needed Public celebration Edit Ganesh Visarjan in Mumbai Ganpati idol in Pune Public celebrations of the festival are popular and are organised by local youth groups neighbourhood associations or groups of tradespeople Funds for the public festival are collected from members of the association arranging the celebration local residents and businesses 60 The Ganesh idols and accompanying statues are installed in temporary shelters known as mandaps or pandals Public preparations begin months in advance The making of the Murti in Maharashtra usually begins with Padya pooja or worshipping the feet of Ganesh The Murti s are brought to pandals on the day or a day before the festival begins The pandals have elaborate decoration and lighting 61 The festival features cultural activities such as singing theatre and orchestral performances and community activities such as free medical checkups blood donation sites and donations to the poor Ganesh Chaturthi in addition to its religious aspects is an important economic activity in Mumbai Surat Pune Hyderabad Bangalore Chennai and Kurnool Many artists industries and businesses earn a significant amount of their living from the festival which is a stage for budding artists Members of other religions also participate in the celebration 62 63 64 In Tamil Nadu the festival also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Pillayar Chaturthi falls on the fourth day after the new moon in the month of Avaṇi in the Tamil calendar The idols are usually made of clay or papier mache 65 since Plaster of Paris idols have been banned by the state government 66 67 but violations of this rule are often reported 68 Idols are also made of coconuts and other organic products They are worshipped for several days in pandals and immersed in the Bay of Bengal the following Sunday In Kerala the festival is also known as Lamboodhara Piranalu which falls in the month of Chingam 69 In Thiruvananthapuram a procession marches from the Pazhavangadi Ganapathi Temple to Shankumugham Beach with tall statues of Ganesha made from organic items and milk immersed in the sea 70 At prominent temples Edit At Varasidhi Vinayaka Swamy Temple in Kanipakam Andhra Pradesh annual brahmotsavams will be celebrated for 21 days starting from Vinayaka Chavithi day The processional deity of Vinayaka Ganesh will be taken in a procession on different vahanams on these days amidst large number of pilgrims across the country 71 Celebration outside India Edit Ganesh Chaturthi celebration by the Sri Lankan Tamil community in France In Pakistan Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations are conducted by the Shri Maharashtra Panchayat an organisation for Maharashtrians in Karachi 72 Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in the UK by the British Hindu population living there The Hindu Culture and Heritage Society a Southall based organisation celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi for the first time in London in 2005 at the Vishwa Hindu Temple and the idol was immersed in the River Thames at Putney Pier citation needed Another celebration organised by a Gujarati group has been celebrated in Southend on Sea and attracted an estimated 18 000 devotees 73 Annual celebrations are also held on the River Mersey in Liverpool 74 75 The Philadelphia Ganesh Festival is one of the most popular celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi in North America 76 and it is also celebrated in Canada particularly in the Toronto area Mauritius Malaysia and Singapore The Mauritius festival dates back to 1896 77 and the Mauritian government has made it a public holiday 78 In Malaysia and Singapore the festival is more commonly known as Vinayagar Chaturthi because of the large Tamil speaking Hindu minority 79 In Ghana ethnic African Hindus celebrate Ganesh Chaturti 80 Foods Edit Modaka are sweet dumplings the traditional offerings and prasada in Ganesh Chaturthi Left steamed with fillings Right Fried The primary sweet dish during the festival is Modak modak in Marathi and Konkani modakam or kudumu in Telugu modaka or kadubu in Kannada kozhakatta or modakkam in Malayalam and kozhukattai or modagam in Tamil A modak is a dumpling made from rice or wheat flour stuffed with grated coconut jaggery dried fruits and other condiments and steamed or fried Another popular sweet dish is the karanji karjikai in Kannada similar to modak in composition and taste but in a semicircular shape This sweet meal is called Nevri in Goa and is synonymous with Ganesh festival amongst the Goans and the Konkani diaspora 81 In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana modak laddu vundrallu steamed coarsely ground rice flour balls panakam a jaggery black pepper and cardamom flavoured drink vadapappu soaked moong lentils and chalividi a cooked rice flour and jaggery mixture are offered to Ganesh These offerings are known as naivedya and a plate of modak traditionally holds 21 pieces of the sweet In Goa modak and a Goan version of idli sanna is popular 82 Panchakajjaya is an offering made to Lord Ganesh during this festival in parts of Karnataka It is a mixture of desiccated coconut roasted Bengal gram powder sugar ghee and sesame Different versions of panchakajjaya are made Roasted Bengal gram green gram roasted chana dal putani or aval can be used 83 Environmental impact EditThe Madras High Court ruled in 2004 that immersion of Ganesh idols is unlawful because it incorporates chemicals that pollute the sea water 84 In Goa the sale of plaster of Paris Ganesha idols has been banned by the state government and celebrants are encouraged to buy traditional artisan made clay idols 85 Recent initiatives to produce traditional clay Ganesh idols in Hyderabad have been sponsored by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board 86 87 Environmental concern is also making people in Gujarat to opt for Ganesh Idols made with a mixture of cow dung and clay These are marketed as Vedic Ganesh idols by the organization making them 88 Due to environmental concerns a number of families now avoid bodies of water and let the clay statue disintegrate in a barrel of water at home After a few days the clay is spread in the garden In some cities a public eco friendly process is used for the immersion 89 Gallery EditCultural depictions of Ganesh Chaturthi A Ganesh idol in a home during the festival Procession of Lalbaugcha Raja in Mumbai Procession in Pune Procession in Surat Immersion in sea Chennai Immersion of idols in Bengaluru Celebration in Pune Juinagarcha Raja Navi Mumbai Khasbag Raja BelgaumSee also Edit India portalCultural depictions of elephants 1994 plague in IndiaNotes Edit The transformation of Ganesh Chaturthi into a major annual religious and politically significant procession event started in 1894 According to Aslam Syed the Ganesh statue immersion ritual in the western states of India may have grown because the annual gathering and procession by Shia Muslims on Muharram was allowed by the colonial British government in the 19th and early 20th century and after the ritual mourning of the death of the 7th century Imam they would immerse Tazia Taboots into river or ocean 37 The Hindus expanded their own Ganesh processions by walking through the streets joyfully dancing and reciting their scriptural verses and ended their procession with a ceremonial immersion of Ganesh The colonial British government attempted to introduce procession licence to Muslims only which Hindu leaders presented as evidence of discriminatory oppression by the Muslims and the British The Hindu leaders such as Tilak defied any attempts to selectively stop the Hindu congregational gathering and processions associated with Ganesh Chaturthi 37 38 The right to organise processions and immersion rituals of Tazia by Muslims and Ganesh by Hindus have remained a religious and equal rights issue ever since particularly when the religious calendars overlap 39 40 References Edit National Portal of India www india gov in Retrieved 28 April 2022 Calendar National Portal of India www india gov in Retrieved 29 August 2022 a b c d Ganesh Chaturthi Hindu Festival Encyclopaedia Britannica 2014 a b Darra Goldstein 2015 The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets Oxford University Press pp 82 254 458 ISBN 978 0 19 931361 7 K T Achaya 2001 A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food Oxford University Press pp 68 69 132 ISBN 978 0 19 565868 2 Ganesh Chaturthi 2019 in India Dates amp Map rove me a b Patrick Taylor Frederick I Case 2013 The Encyclopedia of Caribbean Religions University of Illinois Press p 332 ISBN 978 0 252 09433 0 Heras 1972 p 58 Getty 1936 p 5 Lawrence A Babb 1975 The Divine Hierarchy Popular Hinduism in Central India Columbia University Press pp 62 63 ISBN 978 0 231 08387 4 Ramesh Dutt Ramdoyal 1990 Festivals of Mauritius Editions de l Ocean Indien pp 21 22 Festivals Cultural Events and Public Holidays in Mauritius Mauritius Tourism Authority Archived from the original on 20 January 2012 Retrieved 28 January 2012 Ganesh Chaturthi CONCURSO FOTOGRAFICO MIGRACIONES INTERNACIONALES Y FRONTERAS investigacion cchs csic es Royina Grewal 2009 The Book of Ganesha Penguin Books pp 143 146 ISBN 978 0 14 306760 3 a b Michael 1983 pp 99 102 Rigveda Mandala 2 shloka 2 23 1 Wikisource Quote गण न त व गणपत हव मह कव कव न म पमश रवस तमम ज य ष ठर ज ब रह मण ब रह मणस पत आ न श ण वन न त भ स द स दनम १ For translation see Grimes 1995 pp 17 19 Sanskrit Original न ष स द गणपत गण ष त व म ह र व प रतम कव न म नgdऋत त वत क र यत क चन र मह मर क मघवञ च त रमर च ९ Rigveda 10 112 9 Wikisource Alain Danielou 1954 The meaning of Ganapati The Adyar library bulletin X V III Madras The Sanvi Adyar Library pp 110 11 Grimes 1995 pp 17 19 201 Michael 1983 pp 107 09 Michael 1983 pp 109 10 a b c Kapoor Subodh 2002 The Indian Encyclopaedia Cosmo Publications p 2514 ISBN 978 81 7755 257 7 The Experience of Hinduism Essays on Religion in Maharashtra Edited By Eleanor Zelliot Maxine Berntsen pp 76 94 The Ganesh Festival in Maharashtra Some Observations by Paul B Courtright 1988 SUNY Press ISBN 088706664X Barnouw Victor The Changing Character of a Hindu Festival American Anthropologist 56 no 1 1954 74 86 http www jstor org stable 664633 a b Paul B Courtright 1985 Ganesa Oxford University Press pp 230 37 ISBN 978 0 19 503572 8 a b Trimbak Vishnu Parvate 1958 Bal Gangadhar Tilak A Narrative and Interpretative Review of His Life Career and Contemporary Events Navajivan pp 96 102 Sohoni Ashutosh 2011 Ganesh Temple at Tasgaon Apotheosis of Maratha Temple Architecture South Asian Studies Informa UK Limited 27 1 51 73 doi 10 1080 02666030 2011 556011 S2CID 154444431 a b Christian Roy 2005 Traditional Festivals A Multicultural Encyclopedia ABC CLIO pp 178 80 ISBN 978 1 57607 089 5 Richard I Cashman 1975 The Myth of the Lokamanya Tilak and Mass Politics in Maharashtra University of California Press p 76 ISBN 978 0 520 02407 6 Robin Jeffrey 1990 India rebellion to republic selected writings 1857 1990 Stirling pp 40 41 ISBN 978 8120711075 Kaur R 2003 Performative politics and the cultures of Hinduism Public uses of religion in western India Anthem Press pp 38 48 Metcalf Thomas R Metcalf Barbara Daly 26 November 2001 A Concise History of India ISBN 0 521 63027 4 Metcalf and Metcalf p 150 Momin A R The Legacy of G S Ghurye A Centennial Festschrift p 95 Brown Robert L 1991 Ganesh Studies of an Asian God Albany State University of New York p 9 ISBN 0 7914 0657 1 For Tilak as the first to use large public images in maṇḍapas pavilions or tents see Thapan p 225 Thapan Anita Raina 1997 Understanding Ganapati Insights into the Dynamics of a Cult New Delhi Manohar Publishers ISBN 81 7304 195 4 Richard I Cashman 1975 The Myth of the Lokamanya Tilak and Mass Politics in Maharashtra University of California Press p 75 with footnote 1 ISBN 978 0 520 02407 6 a b Aslam Syed 2014 David Jones Michele Marion eds The Dynamics of Cultural Counterpoint in Asian Studies SUNY Press pp 97 98 ISBN 978 1 4384 5191 6 Shabnum Tejani 2008 Indian Secularism A Social and Intellectual History 1890 1950 Indiana University Press pp 58 61 ISBN 978 0 253 22044 8 HC s 2 hour immersion breather for home Pujas The Times of India 7 October 2016 Peter van der Veer 2015 Handbook of Religion and the Asian City Aspiration and Urbanization in the Twenty First Century University of California Press pp 95 100 ISBN 978 0 520 96108 1 Richard I Cashman 1975 The Myth of the Lokamanya Tilak and Mass Politics in Maharashtra University of California Press pp 70 73 ISBN 978 0 520 02407 6 Richard I Cashman 1975 The Myth of the Lokamanya Tilak and Mass Politics in Maharashtra University of California Press pp 75 77 ISBN 978 0 520 02407 6 Cashman Richard I 1975 The Myth of the Lokamanya Tilak and Mass Politics in Maharashtra Berkeley and Los Angeles California University of California Press pp 75 91 ISBN 0 520 02407 9 Of fervour amp Traditions The Times of India TOI Retrieved 23 August 2014 च रचन क द न क ज त ह श र प त च द र क प ज ज न य महत त व कथ और श भ म ह र त Jansatta www jansatta com in Hindi Retrieved 28 August 2022 Rajesh 10 September 2021 Chaurchan Festival 2021 ब ह र म गण श चत र थ क मन ई ज त च रचन प ज ज न ए क य ह च द र द ष Live Cities Retrieved 28 August 2022 Rituals Explained thehindutemple org Retrieved 21 September 2015 Kolte R R Kulkarni R S Shinde P V Padvekar H K Magadum V G and Apate S A Studies on the ethnomedicinal plants used on the occasion of festivals with special reference to Ratnagiri district from Maharashtra state 1 Andhra laddu maker eyes to break own Guinness Record with 8000 kg laddu Daily News and Analysis India Daily News and Analysis India 16 September 2015 Retrieved 25 September 2015 ready for delivery tomorrow to an 80 feet tall Ganesh Murti put up by Visakha Integrated Social Welfare Association supported by NRIs at the Gajuwaka area in Visakhapatnam Sahu Manish 21 August 2020 What is the story behind the tradition of Ganesh visarjan Times of India Essential Guide to the Ganesh Festival in India TripSavvy What is the significance of durva in Ganesh Poojan sanatan org 9 September 2000 Retrieved 3 January 2015 Sharma Usha 2008 Festivals In Indian Society 2 Vols Set New Delhi Mittal publications p 144 ISBN 978 81 8324 113 7 Shanbag Arun 2007 Prarthana A Book of Hindu Psalms Arlington MA Arun Shanbag p 163 ISBN 978 0 9790081 0 8 Pattanaik Devdutt 2011 99 thoughts on Ganesh stories symbols and rituals of India s beloved elephant headed deity Mumbai Jaico Pub House p 61 ISBN 978 81 8495 152 3 Retrieved 29 August 2016 Bari Prachi 2017 Traditions from all over Maharashtra merge to welcome Gauri in Pune Hindustan Times No 30 August 2017 HT Media Limited Retrieved 28 August 2019 Goa Daman and Diu India Directorate of Archives Archaeology and Museum Purabhilekh puratatva Journal of the Directorate of Archives Archaeology and Museum Volume 2 Panaji Goa The Directorate 1984 p 94 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link a b Ganesh Chaturhi or Chovoth goatourism gov in Government of Goa Retrieved 23 August 2014 Singbal Anwesha Bringing the local beat back thegoan net The Goan Archived from the original on 26 August 2014 Retrieved 23 August 2014 Courtright P B 1988 The Ganesh Festival in Maharashtra Some Observations The Experience of Hinduism Essays on Religion in Maharashtra 84 86 Ganesh Chaturthi 2020 Puja Vidhi Shubh Muhurat Fasting Vrat Katha and Ganpati Visarjan information Times of India The Times of India Retrieved 22 August 2020 Kolhapur Muslims mark Ganesh festival with Hindu brothers in mosque Oneindia 18 September 2010 Retrieved 9 September 2015 Tv9 Gujarat Hindu Muslim celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi together Ahmedabad TV9 Gujarati a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Missing or empty url help Hindu Muslim families celebrate Ganesh Puja India Today Headlines Today 24 August 2009 Retrieved 9 September 2015 Idol makers in Madurai take to eco friendly Ganeshas The Times of India Retrieved 11 September 2018 Govt order on rules for Ganesh Chathurthi not violative of rights says Madras HC The News Minute 6 September 2018 Retrieved 11 September 2018 Special Correspondent 24 August 2017 Plaster of Paris Ganesha idols banned The Hindu ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 11 September 2018 Raid against idols made of plaster of paris The Times of India Retrieved 11 September 2018 Ganesh Chaturthi Pooja Rituals ganeshchaturthigifts com OM GAM GANAPATHAYE NAMAH Ganeshotsavam org Archived from the original on 25 September 2015 Retrieved 17 September 2015 All set for Kanipakam temple fest The Hans India 4 September 2016 Retrieved 7 September 2018 Sutar Kamlesh Damodar 13 September 2016 Karachi celebrates Ganeshotsav with much zest and zeal India Today Retrieved 18 December 2019 Thousands turn out for Hindu Festival at Shoebury East Beach Southend Standard 1 September 2009 Retrieved 25 September 2015 It is thought as many as 18 000 people attended from across Essex Kent Middlesex London the Midlands and even India Alternate Link River marks religious ceremony bbc co uk BBC News 14 September 2008 Liverpool Echo Latest Liverpool and Merseyside news sports and what s on liverpoolecho Kalyana Ramanathan Indira Kannan 11 September 2010 Non resident gods Business Standard Retrieved 14 October 2015 Mauritius takes the day off for Ganesh Chaturthi aglobalworld com Retrieved 29 May 2017 Eisenlohr Patrick 2006 Little India Diaspora Time and Ethnolinguistic Belonging in Hindu Mauritius University of California Press p 153 ISBN 9780520248793 Retrieved 14 October 2015 Hindus celebrate Vinayagar Chathurthi The Malaysian Times 9 September 2013 Retrieved 14 October 2015 अफ र क क घ न म हर स ल व र जत ह गणपत 50 स ल स ध मध म स ह त ह बप प क स व गत Zee News in Hindi 11 September 2019 Retrieved 4 April 2020 Ganesh Chaturthi festival fervour grips Goa The Indian Express PTI 29 August 2014 Retrieved 27 November 2015 Gazetteer of the Union Territory Goa Daman and Diu district gazetteer Volume 1 Goa Daman and Diu India Gazetteer Dept 1979 p 258 Ferro Luzzi G E 1977 The logic of South Indian food offerings Anthropos H 3 4 pp 529 56 Ganesha immersions ruled unlawful bbc co uk BBC News South Asia 8 September 2004 Special Correspondent 29 August 2013 Goa bans plaster of Paris Ganesh idols The Hindu The Environmentally Friendly Ganesh chakranews com 21 October 2011 Ganesha immersion temple s awareness campaign finds many takers The Hindu 11 August 2006 Archived from the original on 13 August 2006 Sahu Manish 21 August 2020 Ganesh Chaturthi 2020 Artists make eco friendly cow dung Vedic Ganpati idols in Gujarat hindustantimes Zha Bagish K 20 September 2013 Eco friendly Ganesh Visarjan save water and soil from getting polluted in Indore The Times of India Retrieved 12 February 2014 Bibliography Edit Getty Alice 1936 Gaṇesa A Monograph on the Elephant Faced God 1992 reprint ed Oxford Clarendon Press ISBN 978 8121503778 Grimes John A 1995 Ganapati Song of the Self SUNY Series in Religious Studies Albany State University of New York Press ISBN 0 7914 2440 5 Heras H 1972 The Problem of Ganapati Delhi Indological Book House Michael S M 1983 The Origin of the Ganapati Cult PDF Asian Folklore Studies 42 1 91 116 doi 10 2307 1178368 JSTOR 1178368 Alternate LinkExternal links Edit Media related to Ganesh Chaturthi at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ganesh Chaturthi amp oldid 1152802571, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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