Ganesh Chaturthi 2023: Know History, Culture and Significance of Ganeshotsav Also Known As Ganesh Festival

Ganesh Chaturthi, also popularly known as Ganeshotsav or Vinayak Chaturthi, is a Hindu festival commemorating the birth of Lord Ganesha. The 10-day festival is celebrated with great fanfare and enthusiasm across India, especially in states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Goa. The auspicious festival celebrates Lord Ganesha, who is revered as the ‘God of New Beginnings’ and the ‘Remover of Obstacles’ as well as the ‘God of Wisdom'. As per religious texts, Lord Ganesha's birth transpired during the Shukla Paksha of the Bhadrapada month in the Hindu calendar, which usually falls in August or September in the Gregorian calendar. This year, Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 will begin on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, and end on the day of Ganesh Visarjan on September 28, 2023.

According to the Drikpanchang, the Chaturthi Tithi will begin at 12:39 pm on Monday, September 18 and end at 1:43 pm on Tuesday, September 19, 2023. In addition, the Madhyahna Ganesha Puja Muhurat will begin at 11:19 AM and continue till 1:43 PM. The duration of the same will be 02 hours and 23 minutes. From 'Sukhkarta Dukhharta' to 'Vakratunda Mahakaya', Welcome Bappa With These Devotional Songs.

Ganesh Chaturthi History

According to historical records, Ganesh Chaturthi has been publicly celebrated in Pune since the era of King Shivaji, which is around 1630–1680. Also, 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. In 1892, Bhausaheb Laxman Javale installed the first sarvajanik (public) Ganesha idol in Pune. In 1893, the Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak praised the celebration of Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav in his newspaper, Kesari, and dedicated his efforts to launching the annual domestic festival into a public event. Also, Tilak helped expand Ganesh Chaturthi festival into a mass community event.

During Vinayak Chaturthi, families install small clay statues for worship during the festival. The Ganesh idol is brought home either a day before or on the day of the Ganesh Chaturthi. Families decorate a small, clean portion of the house with flowers and other colourful items before installing the idol. The murti of Lord Ganesha is worshipped in the morning and evening with offerings of flowers, durva, karanji and modaks and devotees sing aarti in honour of Ganesh.

Ganesh Chaturthi Significance

Ganesh Chaturthi is a vibrant festival with great cultural significance for many people dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune. Lord Ganesha is known by various names like Gajanana, Vakrtunda, Dhoomraketu, Ekdanta, and Siddhi Vinayaka. The auspicious festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's clay idols privately in homes and publicly on elaborate pandals.

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The festival ends on the tenth day when the Ganesh 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. During the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, the primary sweet dish prepared by devotees is Modak, a dumpling made from rice or wheat flour, stuffed with grated coconut and jaggery, dried fruits, and steamed or fried. During the 10-day festival of Ganeshotsav, devotees chant Vedic hymns and Hindu texts and observe Vrat.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 14, 2023 10:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).