Vinayaka Chaturthi: The Feast Day Of Ganesha

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Vinayaka Chaturthi: the Feast Day of Ganesha The feast day sacred to Ganesha, one of the most worshipped Hindu deities, is called Vinayaka Chaturthi (or Ganesha Chaturthi). It is held on the “brightest fort-night of Bhadrapada,” referring to the time period of August through September (Fuller, 1607). Chaturthi is held in commemoration of his birth, his ability to remove great obstacles from great undertakings and bestow great happiness and fortune (Gupte, 54-55). Ganesha is a very unique and fascinating god, which contributes to his popularity. He is the elephant-headed god, with a trunk and one broken tusk, short and stout stature, a round belly, pale colored, and four arms. He is usually riding on a rat and in each hand he holds a water-lily, conch shell, revolving disc, and a club or mace. But his popularity mainly stems from birth or creation. He is the son of Parvati, the powerful mother of the universe, and Shiva, the ‘great god.’ This high descent earns him “high veneration from Hindus of all classes.” (Mukerji, 9-14). He is not only worshipped by many people, but he is also worshipped most frequently—no other god is as often venerated as Ganesha (Mankodi, 127). He is one of the most treasured of the deities and holds a very special spot within the pantheon of Hinduism. There are two popular stories associated with the festival itself. One of those stories is about a poor Brahman who stayed at home and led an “indolent life” living off of his neighbors’ donations. His wife scolded him for the way he lived and how he neglected to try to make a decent living with some form of a job. She complained that she wants him to make this effort immediately because she cannot properly worship the gods and observe sacred festivals as she pleases. She says, “ I must celebrate the worship of Ganesha on the appointed day, but have not the wherewithal to perform the

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