Ganesh Festival : The spiritual & Religious Significance of Ganesh Chaturthi, The importance of Nationalism & The Beginning of Social Harmony !
Ganesh Festival : The spiritual & Religious Significance of Ganesh Chaturthi, The Importance of Nationalism & The Beginning of Social Harmony !
Bhagwan Shri Ganesha at the beginning of prayers as well as in all ceremonies and cultural festivals. The history of the worship of Shri Ganesha can be gathered from ancient Hindu scriptures where there are many references about Bhagwan Shri Ganesha, the first of such reference is been found in the Rig Veda. Rig Veda begins with the invocation of Bhagwan Shri Ganesha, who is described as the Chief of Ganas (divine beings) and as the Supreme Seer (Rig Veda 2.23). Apparently Yajur Veda also mentions ‘Salutations to you Ganas and to the Bhagwan of Ganas’. (Yajur Veda 16-25). There are also many references in the great epics of Ramayana and MahaBharath, all of which indicate that the worship of Bhagwan Ganesha dates back prior to 7,000 years ago or even earlier.
Rig Veda which was composed during the period of Hindu Valley civilization ( Indus Valley civilization ) or even earlier, describes the God that is invoked as Brahmanaspathi, who was considered as a Vedic divinity of the highest rank and Remover of Obstacles. The word Brahmanaspathi requires clarification. The word Brahmanaspathi is a combination of two words Brahman and Brihaspathi. Brahman is Supreme Reality and Brahapathi is the personification of piety, purity and knowledge. Bhagwan Ganesha is also referred to as Ganapathi in the Rig Veda. ‘Gana’ means multitude in Sanskrit and here it refers to hosts of Brihaspathi and ‘Isha’ means Bhagwan . When these two words are coined together it becomes Ganesha or Ganapathi – both refers to the Chief of Ganas. The word ‘Ganas’ symbolize desires, thoughts and impulses. It revolves round the mind which are the centre point for our desires, thoughts and feelings, which would lead individuals to the passions of greed, desire, jealousy and anger that has the force of ending up in social disturbances. The five organs of perception and the five organs of action are the Ganas to which the mind is the master. The intellect is the discriminating faculty above the mind. The ten senses (the mind and the intellect) constitute the Ganas. Shri Ganesha dwells in every human being in the form of intellect and wisdom. It is said that the principle of classifications through which the relations can be understood between different order of things, between the macrocosm and the microcosm is called the Bhagwan of categories which is Bhagwan Ganapathi also known as Shri Ganesha.
Moreover it is said that Sage Agasthiyar lived about 7600 years ago in Gujarat, had given more prominence to the worship of Shri Ganesha. Sage Agasthiyar was considered to be an embodiment of the nine celestial intellectuals who came to this earth for enlightening human beings.
The ancient Hindu scriptures composed during the period of Indus Valley civilization or the Vedic period revolves around the Himalayas region which include Kashmir, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Tibet, and some parts in the Central Asia. As far as Hinduism is concerned the ancient names of places in Asia lend some assistance to find out the growth and influence of Dharma. The words Himalayas, Mt.Ganesh, Mt.Annapoorna, Mt.Parvathi, (around the Himalayan regions) Bharath, India, Malaya, Indonesia, Saraswathi, etc are of Sanskrit origin, the usage of which can be traced to 12,000 years back or even earlier. Upon an examination of the Hindu scriptures especially the great epics Ramayana and MahaBharath and the use of Sanskrit language in these texts along with other languages in Iran and Afghanistan suggest that the eastern portion of the Hindu Kush mountain range within the Pakistan border, with highest mountain peaks, endless valleys, passes and glaciers, is considered to be the pinnacle of Hindu Kush region. Hindu Kush region has been a part of India. The origin of the Hindu Kush is reported to be traced from the Hindu scriptures. There were two Hindu kingdoms, Gandhahar and Vaachi Pradesh. The kingdom of Gandhahar was established by Taksha, who was the grandson of Bharat of Ayodhya and its borders stretched to the present day Uzbekistan. There was no Pakistan in those periods it is Akanda Bharat . Mention should be made there was a place called Ganesh village also spelt as Ganish village and also known as Ganish Khun, where there are some most amazing ancient inscriptions carved on rocks and in ancient scripts such as Karoshti, Gupta, etc, the age of some is reported to about 5,000 years BC. As such it appears that a section of Afghanistan was great Centre of Vedic culure – an indication of the existence of worship of Bhagwan Shri Ganesha.
There are a number of interpretations of the word Hindu Kush. Hindu Kush means ‘Mountain of Bharat’. It is a sounding expression of Hindu Koh. Koh is a Persian word for mountain. Apparently, some diamonds are known as Koh-i-noor meaning mountain of light. In the Pashto language of Afghanistan, it is called Hindu Koh which means Mount Bharat. Pashto is an Iranian language close to Persian. Prior to the Islamic conquest of Afghanistan, vast majority of the population around the area of Kabul (Hindu Kush Region) practiced Hinduism and Buddhism. As historians are of the view that that the South of Hindu Kush had cultural links with the Indus Valley Civilization in the ancient period, it appears that the worship of Bhagwan Ganesha was prevalent some 12,000 years ago.
The worship of Bhagwan Ganesha prevailed not only among the Hindus in Hindustan, but also prevailed among the Jains and Buddhists originate from Hindu Dharma . Even in Japan there are about 250 Ganesha temples, where Bhagwan Ganesha is known as Kangiten – the God of fortune, happiness, prosperity and good. Young Japanese worship Shri Ganesha to win in love.
The food at the feet of Bhagwan Ganesha symbolizes material wealth and power. The axe in the hand symbolizes annihilation of desires. The gourd in the hand represents spiritual knowledge which helps to remove ourselves from the material world. One hand bestows grace signalling fearless. The modak (sweet) symbolizes happiness and joy deriving from spiritual pursuit. Lotus represents the divine state of Self Realization that humans eventually aspire for. Large ears symbolize that he hears everyone’s grievances and vows. The broken tusk is symbolic of knowledge and the left tusk represents emotion. Both tusks convey the message that a person should not be trapped between two opposites like pleasures and sufferings, but be conscious to break its grips on us. Moreover, the broken tusk indicates that a person should get rid of ego for spiritual fulfillment. Trunk has the ability to pick trees as well as a needle. It symbolizes that wise persons has both immense strength and fine discriminatory power. Mouse symbolizes the sense. Here Bhagwan Ganesha controls the mouse. This sends the message that wise persons keep their senses under control in spite of receipt of rewards. Finally one leg of Shri Ganesha that is folded symbolizes the dealing with the world, while the other leg that rooted to the ground symbolizes the concentration upon the Supreme Reality. On the whole the qualities of a leader is demonstrated with symbolism of Bhagwan Ganesha.
Since difficulties in our life prevent to achieve the fulfillment of the desired goals, there is common belief that such difficulties in our daily activities can be overcome by worshipping Bhagwan Ganesha. Obstacles create fear in the minds of the people. There can be will power, courage and determination, yet the mind roams about in overcoming difficulties. This fear is considered as the beginning of religion. Fear denotes acceptance of the mighty of God. People who do not have fear for God, when everything is under their control, ultimately ends up their lives with miseries and suffering of mind. This applies to every person irrespective of his status or position in life.
The prominent aspect of the worship of Shri Ganesha is on the Ganesha Chathurthi Day, where Hindus worship Bhagwan Shri Ganesha and honour him as a beloved guest for ten days. There is a belief that Shri Ganesha was born on the fourth day of the bright forthnight of the Hindu lunar month of Bhadrapada (between August and September). It is said that Ganesha Chathurthi is celebrated as the birthday of Bhagwan Ganesha. One may ponder whether there are many Gods in Hinduism and whether they have birthdays. Bhagwan Shri Ganesha has neither birth nor death. He has neither beginning nor end. There is a deep inner meaning for such Hindu festivals. The birth of Shri Ganesha demonstrates that the identity of the macrocosm and the microcosm is one of the basic concepts of the Hindu mythological symbolism. There is a difference between Hinduism and the Western religions as to how religion is viewed. Hinduism is Sanatana Dharma which deals with the discovery of Truth. There is no prescribed text, no specific founder and no centralized authority for Hinduism. In addition, Hinduism does not have a unified method of worship. The striking feature of Hinduism is that it is liberal, tolerant and flexible and never engages in conversion. Hinduism recognizes and respects the infinite multiplicity of approaches to the Absolute Truth. Even Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism are new paths of Hindu Dharma , but were struck with a label of separate religion. In the words of Swami Vivekananda religion is a direct relationship between an individual and God. Hinduism teaches principles and not persons. This does not mean other faiths are not religions. They are considered as an individual’s spiritual journey to enlightenment and adapted a Hindu way of living.
Here is a story that Mahadev Shiva arrived unannounced to visit Parvathi. Nandi, who is so devoted to Mahadev Shiva (Supreme Soul) never obstructed him because he knew of the power of knowledge. The creation of a boy to guard her is depicted as the ego-bound soul. Parvathi is the Supreme Energy and represents the material world. In the human body she resides in Muladhara Chakra, known as Kundalini Sakthi. It is said that yellow is associated with the Muladhara Chakra where Kundalini resides. When Mahadev Shiva (who represents the Supreme Reality) entered, the ego-bound boy (Jiva) obstructed without knowing the power of knowledge and without realizing that all souls emanate from the Supreme Soul. Mahadev Shiva, the Supreme Knowledge just marched its way ignoring the obstruction of the boy by eradicating ignorance aside. This is symbolized by the chopping of the boy’s head. The Jiva that prevented the Supreme Soul also liberates itself and merges into the Supreme. Here Bhagwan Ganesha symbolizes one who has realized the Reality and is said to be the lord of all beings. In other words, the external world which depends on the ego for its existence disappears with the extinction of the Ego. The Supreme Energy and the Supreme Soul meet together in the living person with the removal of the ego and energies activated in the person is that of Bhagwan Ganesha. Restoration of Bhagwan Ganesha is symbolic who attained that State of Divinity. Therefore, the essence of Ganesha Chathurthi festival is to demonstrate that ignorance has to always bow down to knowledge. Ignorance with the might to control knowledge is only temporary. This is a message to the world that egoism will not last forever and that it is the cause of downfall of everyone who disregards knowledge, which is permanent.
Hindu tradition always maintain the remembrance of the divinity of man and the immanence of God. According to Hinduism, AUM is a primordial sound. OMKARA signifies God Shiva, being both the individual and ccosmic. Shri Ganesha, who is depicted as the divine son of Parmatama ( God) Shiva, is the whole support of the whole universe. The sound symbol AUM is indestructible forever. It is immortal and timeless.
Bhagwan Shri Ganesha is the manifested form of divine. The formless divine is ever present, though it takes on a manifestation. Having manifested a form, the divine also assumes a name on account of our association with a form. The formless spirit destroys the disparities. The celebration of Ganesha Chathurthi reveals that while worshipping the divine with form, the formless reality should also be kept in mind. The immersion of the idol of Shri Ganesha in the water demonstrate that it is imperative to seek the truth with a manifested form in order to proceed to realize the formless reality, which eventually merges oneself with the realization of one’s true self. This is the significant feature of Ganesha Chathurthi in realizing the Truth in a formless Reality. These salient features are well brought out in celebrating Ganesha Chathurthi festival.
To worship Bhagwan Shri Ganesha, we must become Ganesha, which is to let go of our outer minds and embrace the unknown higher knowledge :
Bhagwan Shri Ganesha is a figure of great mystery, power, and paradox. We sense in his unusual figure something of the unknown, unlimited and mysterious, far beyond our human considerations. What are the secrets that he holds and what do they mean for us at the deepest level ?
Shri Ganesha’s arising or birth, if you could call it, appears very strange. It is said that his mother Parvati created him for her protection and asked him to prevent anyone from entering into her room. While Parvati was bathing, Mahadev Shiva approached, and Ganesha true to his role would not let him in. When Ganesha obstructed Shiva from entering, Shiva sensed an infringement on his power, fought with him and in the skirmish cut the boy’s head off.
Soon learning his mistake that it was Parvati’s son, who was quite angry at his demise, Shiva quickly, sometimes it is said by chance, found the head of an elephant for Ganesha, put it on the headless body and brought him back to life. The story seems contradictory and arbitrary, like many Puranic depictions that have been the subject of denigration, if not ridicule.
Clearly, such bizarre tales are riddles for the mind to ponder, and not meant to portray literal events. They require a deep insight to unravel. This story has been analysed politically and psychologically, extending to bizarre Freudian and Marxist theories, but the inner meaning, which has nothing to do with sex or politics, has been missed altogether.
Symbolism of Ganesha and the cutting off of his head
Ganesha symbolises the human soul and its latent aspiration for the infinite. Initially, the soul is bound to Maya or Prakriti, symbolised by Ganesha being created by Parvati (Prakriti) and seeking to protect her as her servant. The ignorant soul does not know Shiva, the transcendent reality beyond Maya. Shiva, therefore, cannot recognise the soul as his own.
In cutting off Ganesha’s head, Mahdev Shiva takes the soul beyond the human mind, its dualities and expectations – which is a common theme in deities with their head cut off, be it Hayagriva, Chinnamasta or Ganesha. In giving Ganesha the head of an elephant, God Shiva connects it to the profound cosmic intelligence that is under his guidance.
God Shiva is Pashupati or also God of the animals that symbolises the souls bound to ignorance, ruling over them from his unbounded awareness. Ganesha as Ganapati or the Bhagwan of the group is the chieftain or head of the animals, the foremost of which is the elephant and indicates Shiva’s consciousness in manifestation.
The elephant relates to memory, concentration and the hidden wisdom of nature. Ganesha as the awakened soul learns the secrets of the universe and gains the ability to teach them to all who are receptive. Ganesha becomes the guide to the cosmic processes of birth and death, karma, and liberation, and holds all the vidyas or sacred ways of knowledge for understanding all existence.
Ganesha as the Guru
With the head of an elephant, Ganesha becomes awake as Shiva’s son, and functions as the great guru and the giver of wisdom through Shiva’s power within him. He gains access to the mantric energies of the cosmic mind, in which all the higher knowledge is stored, the Omkara of Mahadev Shiva, which is Ganesha’s own word of power.
Ganesha represents the cosmic realisation of the Self as all nature, and can teach that infinite truth to us. But for this to occur we must also learn to go beyond the mind, something that most modern intellectuals with all their opinionated views are not likely to attempt.
To worship Ganesha, we must become Ganesha, which is to let go of our outer minds and embrace the unknown higher knowledge, becoming the entire universe and beyond, Shiva and Shakti, both within and around us. To do that we must become humble and let Mahadev Shiva and Parvati enter into us.
In due course of time, people began celebrating it individually and privately. Centuries later, the festival was reinvented as a symbol of the nationalistic movement by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, one of the leaders of the Bharatiya freedom movement. In 1892, he decided revive the patriotic spirit of Hindustan by bringing the household Ganapati out onto the streets of Pune and Bombay. In 1893, he set up the first and the oldest Mandal Keshavi Naik Chawl Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal at Girgaum.
Such was the enthusiasm that people from all walks of life, irrespective of religion, started participating in it. It was embedded with cultural programmes and nationalistic speeches. Even other religion leaders participated in these annual celebrations and delivered speeches, exhorting the countrymen to fight for freedom.
The festive fervor instilled a feeling a patriotism among the people and it slowly spread across the country. But 1905, it had become a nationwide celebration. Now, thousands of sarvajanik pandals are made with crores of rupees, and the celebrations have become a gala annual affair.
Ganesh Chaturthi in its current form was introduced in 1892, when a Pune resident named Krishnajipant Khasgiwale visited Maratha-ruled Gwalior, where he witnessed the traditional public celebration and brought it to the attention of his friends, Bhausaheb Laxman Javale and Balasaheb Natu back home in Pune. Javale, who was also known as Bhau Rangari installed the first sarvajanik or public bhagwan Shri Ganesha idol following this.
Lokmanya Tilak praised Javale's efforts in an article in his newspaper Kesari in 1893 and even installed a Ganesha idol in the news publication's office the next year, and his efforts transformed the annual domestic festival into a large, well-organised public event. Tilak was the first to install large public images of Ganesha in pavilions, and established the practise of submerging the idols in rivers, the sea or other bodies of water on the tenth day of the festival.
Encouraged by him, Ganesh Chaturthi or Ganeshotsav, became a meeting ground for people from all hindu castes and communities at a time when the British discouraged social and political gatherings to control the population. The festival facilitated community participation and involvement in the forms of intellectual discourse, poetry recitals, plays, concerts, and folk dances.
Tilak recognized Ganesha's appeal as "the god for everybody". He popularised Ganesh Chaturthi as a national festival to "bridge the gap between Brahmins and 'non-Brahmins' and find a context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them", generating nationalistic fervour in the Maharashtran people to oppose British colonial rule.
Ganesh Chaturthi in Goa in more of a family affair than a public festival due to the Goa Inquisition by the Portuguese due to which Hindus, who refused to convert to Christianity were severely restricted from expressing their religious beliefs. Many families worship Ganesha in the form of patri or leaves used for worshiping Ganesha or other gods or a picture drawn on paper or small silver idols. Bhagwan Shri Ganesha idols are hidden in some houses due to a ban on clay Ganesha idols and festivals by the Jesuits as part of the Inquisition.
"It has been this way ever since it all started in 1893 when Lokmanya Tilak urged the people to come together and mark the occasion together,” said Vinay Rahatekar, president of the Shree Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Sanstha (SSGS).
- In 1893, the city hosted its first public celebrations of Ganpati festival, at the Keshavji Naik Chawl at Charni Road, after Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s call
- Tilak’s followers, Raobahadur Limaye and Naraharishashtri Godse, who resided at the chawl, started the celebrations
- Tilak visited the celebration for the first time at the Chawl in 1901.
Eco-friendly Bhagwan Shri Ganesha idols are those that are made of clay, natural fibers, paper and other biodegradable materials. These idols, when immersed in water degrade faster and do not harm the environment as much as the ones made of POP. So, to help you make the move towards a more eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturti, here are 4 reasons an eco-friendly Ganesha idol is the best way to go.
One big drawback of Ganesha idols made of POP is the fact that POP does not degrade easily, leading to severe consequences like polluted water. The material also increases the acid content of water sources and can kill natural life in the water. While we may not think much of this, you must realise that life that survives in water are an essential part of our ecology. Not only do they help keep the water pure and healthy but they also help keep common pests like mosquitoes at bay (fish found in lakes and ponds feed on mosquitoes keeping their numbers in check). Apart from all this studies have found that people who use this polluted water suffer from a host of medical conditions like infections, lung disease, ailments related to the skin, blood and eyes.
2. Metal content in water affects the quality of foods
POP contains chemicals like magnesium, gypsum, phosphorus and sulphur. The dyes that are commonly used to decorate these idols also contain mercury, cadmium, arsenic, lead, and carbon. When these idols are immersed in common water sources (like the sea, ponds, lakes, etc.) it gets contaminated with high amount of metal and other chemicals which kill fish and plants that live in water. Not only does this lead to a phenomenon called 'dead water body', where the water body cannot harbour any life forms, but could also lead to heavy metal poisoningcaused due to the consumption of fish contaminated with these metals. When ingested these heavy metals are known to interfere with several systems of the body like the nervous, circulatory and digestive system.
Apart from all the above risks, the dyes that are commonly used to colour Ganesha idols made of POP can be harmful to you and your family. Apart from that the glitter that is often used to add that special sparkle to the idol may also rub off on your hands and clothes. When inhaled this glitter can cause damage to your lungs, affect your eyes and even cause allergies in some. In contrast an eco-friendly Ganesha idol poses none of those risks.
4. Eco-friendly Ganesha idols can be a family-bonding exercise
The best part about owning an eco-friendly Ganesha idols is the fact that you can make them yourself. You might need some guidance initially, but later it can be a lot of fun to create your own idol. The whole activity can be a great way of family bonding and allows you and your family members an opportunity to unleash their creativity. You can choose from a variety of materials like paper mache, clay, aata and even turmeric to make your very own eco-friendly Ganesha idol.
In Hindustan, we recognize Bhagwan Shri Ganesha as “Vighnaharta” which means that Shri Ganesha removes all the obstacles from our paths that lead us towards success and growth. However, how we celebrate Ganeshotsav, i.e. festival of Ganesha, has nothing but only increased the pollution that harms our environment. We can not afford to harm our universe at any cost now, therefore let’s check how important it is to celebrate this eco-friendly festival and its benefits.
1. Preserving our natural water resources :
Ganeshotsav is celebrated for 10 days each year and it is concluded with immersing Ganesh idols that were worshipped throughout the festival by one and all in water at Ganesh Chaturdashi. Most of the idols that are available in the market are made from Plaster of Paris (POP) and artificial ingredients such as colors and various adornments.
The plaster of Paris is not a biodegradable material and it does not get dissolved in the water. However, it settles down at the depth of the water bodies and formulates the layer over soil to block the natural pores present in the earth. These pores are normally responsible for the groundwater levels of surrounding areas of that particular water body. With the decreasing levels of groundwaters, blocking the pores typically suggests the polluted water resource as well. This artificially formulated layer is not only harmful to marine life but also impacts the overall marine cycle.
In contrast to all this, eco-friendly Ganesh idols, or as we like to call it “eco-friendly Ganesh Murthis” are biodegradable in nature, which means they get dissolved in the water easily and do not harm either water resources or marine life. Eco-friendly Ganesh is a new era concept and we all should accept it for our own betterment. We have brought up a new exciting collection of eco-friendly Ganesh idols, do check with us.
As we have heard many times, “all that glitters is not gold”, all the ingredients that are used in decorations and adornments for the Plaster of Paris Ganesha idols, are full of harmful chemicals. These parts when coming in contact with soil, immediately react with it to reduce the quality. Maintaining the land quality is very vital, as it plays an important role in the food we obtain from it.
In contrast to this mess, eco-friendly Ganesh idols are pro-environment and do not harm the soil quality. No harmful chemicals, colors are used in the making of eco-friendly Ganesh idols, therefore, after they have immersed in the water, they do not harm land even after getting mixed with it.
As we have already known, polluted water resources ultimately cause water spread diseases, and that is the major reason why we are seeing increasing health issues after the celebration of Ganeshotsav. Also, due to chemical colors and harmful adornments get reacted with the human skin after coming in close contact. This results in skin diseases and we keep doubting our food for it.
Using eco-friendly Ganesh idols is the key to save ourselves from all of this. If not for the environment, but at least for mankind, it is definitely the need of the hour to start using eco-friendly Ganesh idols which are chemical-free and safe to worship. It also helps in saving us from the food poisoning cases that we generally do see after or during this festival.
If we are deeply attracted by the perfect shaped idol with all the glittery and shiny colors, then we have no option but to choose an idol made of plaster of Paris. However, if we think sensibly enough, we might understand that the emotions behind celebrating this festival are far more precious than all the grand drama we create while welcoming and departing our lovely lord Ganesha. And once we understand the emotional part of it, we become more than happy to use idols that are harmless but might be less attractive.
We do not want you to compromise on the quality of the idol which you want to take home and worship for days. Therefore, we have brought you the artistically perfect and aesthetically beautiful eco-friendly Ganesh idols.
As we call it in our native language, “Visarjan”, which is an immersing Ganesh idol after celebrating the Ganesh festival for 10 days, is as important a ritual as welcoming it. It is a popular sight to see huge rallies and thousands of people on the road to bid their lovely god goodbye until next year. However, taking part in such huge rallies seems a little difficult this year as well, and the eco-friendly Ganesh idol is making life easier for you. You do not need to go all the way to bigger water bodies like lakes, rivers, or oceans for Visarjan, however, you can do it here, exactly at your home. Just take a bucket full of water and immerse your Ganesha into it. Visarjan will become way too easy considering the conditions around us.
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