Pandals, Dandiya and Modak : Celebrating Ganesha Chaturthi
by Shruti Sharma Content CuratorOne of the biggest festivals of India, Ganesh Chaturthi is
celebrated with much vigour and enthusiasm all across India. Regardless of the
city/town you live in, you will find the freshly painted idols of Lord Ganesha
everywhere. Celebrated to honour Lord Ganesha, Ganesh Chaturthi also marks his
birthday. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha was born on ‘Shukla Chaturthi’.
Also known as ‘Vinayaka Chaturthi’, Ganesh Chaturthi is
majorly celebrated in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Karnataka etc. The capital city of India, Delhi, also witnesses the grand
celebration of the occasion. Whether you are a permanent resident of the city
or you are traveller staying at one of the hotels
in Delhi, you must not miss Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations at any cost.
About Lord Ganesha
The pertinence of Lord Ganesha is based on several legends
and stories. He is one among the most popular gods in the Hindu assemblage.
Known for his elephant-head, he was blessed with great intellect.
The festival of Ganesha Chaturthi first found prominence during
Maratha Empire when Chhatrapati Shivaji was ruling the state. The people who
brought this festival to public spaces and changed its identity from a private
festival to a public one were Bhausaheb Laxman Javale and Lokmanya Tilak. When
this happened, people belonging to any sect or religion began celebrating it to
show the unison of India against colonial rule.
Rituals and Food
Indian festivals are mostly about rituals and food and
Ganesh Chaturthi is no exception. From artisans making idols and statues of
Lord Ganesha months before the festival commences to worshippers bringing home
the clay statues of Lord Ganesha home, from chanting morning and evening
prayers dedicated to Lord Ganesha to practicing ‘Pranapratisshtha’, this
ten-day long festival is nothing but eventful.
One of the most famous sweet dishes prepared during Ganesh
Chaturthi is modak. According to Hindu mythology, modak was Lord Ganesha’s
favourite sweet dish. Generally prepared using rice or wheat, it is mainly
filled with grated coconut, jaggery, and dried fruits among other things.
Celebrating Ganesh
Chaturthi
Large idols of Lord Ganesha are placed under mandaps at
various places in the city/town. A large number of tourists/travellers in a
particular city also take part in the celebrations. Even some of the best business hotels in New Delhi
organise their own private celebrations, giving a perfect chance to the
tourists to witness the grandeur of Ganesh Chaturthi. After 10 days of
celebration, idols of Lord Ganesha are taken for Ganesha Visarjan. This is how
the festival ends.
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Created on Sep 11th 2019 02:01. Viewed 245 times.