Hindu Samskriti - Festivals - 5

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HOLY DAYS THAT AMERICA’S HINDUS CELEBRATE



Ganesha Chaturthi

Honoring the Lord of Beginnings

During Ganesha Chaturthi, a ten-day festival in
August/September, elaborate puja ceremonies are
held in Hindu temples around the world honoring
Ganesha, the benevolent, elephant-faced Lord of Obstacles.
In millions of home shrines, worship is also offered to a
clay image of Ganesha that the family makes or obtains. At
the end of ten days, Hindus join in a grand parade, called
visarjana in Sanskrit, to a river, temple tank, lake or seashore,
where His image is ceremonially immersed, symbolizing
Ganesha’s merging into universal consciousness.

Who is Ganesha?  
Perennially happy, playful, unperturbed and wise, this rotund Deity removes obstacles to good endeavors
and obstructs negative ventures, thus guiding and protecting the lives of devotees. He is the patron of
art and science, the God inhabiting all entryways, the gatekeeper who blesses all beginnings. When initiating
anything—whether learning, business, weddings, travel, building and more—Hindus seek His grace for
success. He is undoubtedly the most endearing, popular and widely worshiped of all the Hindu Deities.
Ganesha Chaturthi (also called Vinayaka Chaturthi) falls on the fourth day in the waxing fortnight of
the month of Bhadrapada in the sacred Hindu lunar calendar, which translates to a certain day in August-
September. It is essentially a birthday celebrating Ganesha’s divine appearance.

What do people do on Ganesha Chaturthi?
Devotees often fashion or purchase a Ganesha statue
out of unbaked clay. Many sculpt Him out of a special
mixture of turmeric, sandalwood paste, cow dung,
soil from an anthill and palm sugar. The Deity image is placed in the home shrine amongst traditional
decorations. A rite of worship and prayer, called puja, is conducted daily, invoking
the energies of the Deity and inviting Him to reside in the clay image. Mantras
are chanted and offerings are made throughout the puja, including incense,
lighted lamps, cooked food (naivedya), fruits, durva grass, tulasi and pomegranate
leaves—and fl owers, especially red ones. After ten days, a simple puja is performed
before the statue is taken for a formal departure (visarjana). Often entire communities,
from dozens to tens of thousands of devotees, gather each year for this fi nal day
of ceremony. The icons are carried on an ornate metal tray—larger images are borne
on a palanquin by several strong men—to a lake, a river or the sea. There Ganesha
is consigned to the water after removing non-degradable paraphernalia.

What foods are off ered?

Sumptuous foods are specially prepared for
Ganesha, keeping in mind His elephantine
nature and prodigious appetite. People offer
several varieties of fruits such as mangos,
bananas and sugarcane. Sweets are the
elephant-headed Deity’s delight, so to express
their love families take great pains to
make special tasty treats. Each family has
its recipes.

Tidbits About Ganesha

Where is this festival most popular?
Nowhere is Ganesha Chaturthi observed with more creativity and enthusiasm than
in Mumbai, India. The city virtually shuts down as millions of Hindus celebrate.

 Why is He Ganesha worshiped first?

Lord Brahma declared that any worship conducted without seeking Ganesha’s
blessings would be fruitless. He is considered a loving, playful, protective Deity
whose blessings would grace any endeavor. He is therefore ceremonially invoked before
weddings, housewarmings, taking an important exam, starting a new business
and other important events.


What is His mystical work?

Lord Ganesha is the God Hindus pray to when
changes occur in their lives as they move from old established patterns into
new ones. He is always there to steady the minds of devotees and
open the proper doors as they evolve and progress.



 What makes Him distinctive?

Aside from His unique and endearing elephant head, Ganesha carries
an elephant goad to prod us along the right path. He holds a noose to lasso
foes of dharma and to draw devotees close when they venture off the spiritual
path. His mount is a mouse. His big belly is said to contain the fullness
of the cosmos. In His hand is a modaka, fruit or other sweet, symbolic
of enlightened attainments

Modaka Sweets

These rich, deep fried, fl uffy, sweet dollops
are the Mangalorean equivalent of the
Tamil kollukattai. It is the all-time favorite
of Lord Ganesha, who is described as
Modaka Hasta, one with the modaka in His
hand.

Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Makes 20 pieces
Cooking equipment: A wok or deep
saucepan, a perforated ladle, a lined
colander to drain excess oil, a mixing bowl
and serving plate.

Ingredients

4 cups thin beaten rice (poha);
1 cup semolina (rava) fl our, 1 cup rice fl our,
1 cup slightly over-ripe bananas, mashed, 1
cup powdered jaggery (or brown sugar), 1/8
tsp salt
oil to deep fry

Method
1. Mix all the ingredients together except
the oil.
2. Add a little water and knead the mixture
gently into a thick paste.
3. Heat the oil in the wok.
4. Drop tablespoonfuls of the batter into
moderately hot oil and fry till rich brown.
Drain and cool, then enjoy!









Om Tat Sat
                                                        
(Continued...) 



(My humble salutations to Sadguru Sri Sivaya Subramuniyaswami ji, Hinduism Today  dot com  for the collection)


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