Ganesh Chaturthi 2031

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on Bhadrapada’s waxing fourth day. There are several traditions about Ganesha’s birth. This account follows the story of Parvati’s son in the Shiva Purana.

On Kailasa, Parvati’s friends Jaya and Vijaya spoke to her. Shiva had many attendants, but they chiefly followed his commands. They suggested that Parvati should have a guardian of her own who would put her instructions first.

Once, while Parvati was bathing, Shiva came inside. Nandi was at the door but could not stop him. Parvati remembered her friends’ suggestion. From the bathing paste removed from her body she fashioned a child and gave him life. She dressed and adorned him, accepted him as her son and embraced him.

“What should I do?” he asked. Parvati put him in charge of the entrance. “Let no one enter without my permission.” She gave him a staff, and he stood at the door while she went to bathe.

Shiva returned, but the child did not recognise him. He repeated his mother’s order and barred the way. Shiva explained that it was his home and he was Parvati’s husband. Still the child would not move. Shiva’s attendants tried to persuade and remove him, but he stayed at his post.

The dispute became a battle. The child faced Shiva’s attendants with Parvati’s power. The gods joined the fight. While Vishnu and the child fought, Shiva found an opening and severed the child’s head with his trident.

Narada brought Parvati the news. Her son’s death filled her with grief and anger. She brought forth many powers whose fury terrified the gods and attendants. The sages approached her and prayed for peace.

Parvati said peace would return only if her son lived again and received an honoured place among them. The gods conveyed this to Shiva. He ordered the child restored and told them to go north and bring the head of the first being they met.

They found an elephant. They brought its head and joined it to the child’s body. The gods sprinkled water with mantras. By Shiva’s will the child lived again. He rose as though waking from sleep, now with an elephant’s face.

Parvati’s grief lifted when she saw him alive. She embraced him in her lap and blessed him. Shiva also accepted him as his son. The gods anointed him, and he became Ganapati, chief of the attendants. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva declared that Ganesha would be worshipped before them.

The child who had guarded his mother’s door now held a place of honour among them all. Devotees remember him at auspicious beginnings and pray for obstacles to be removed.

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates Ganesha's birth and his place in worship as the remover of obstacles and patron of wisdom. Families and communities mark the festival with installation, offerings, aarti and immersion of the image.

Families and public mandaps install Ganesha images. Devotees offer durva grass and modak, sing bhajans and perform aarti. Immersion takes place on the day followed by each family’s tradition. Many public celebrations end on Ananta Chaturdashi.

Public Ganeshotsav is especially prominent in Maharashtra; Gujarat and many other states also celebrate. In Tamil and Telugu traditions the festival is often called Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi; offerings and duration differ.