Ganesh Chaturthi

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!

            Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chaturthi is celebrated nation wide to celebrate the birth of Lord Ganesha - the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. Ganesh is widely worshipped as the God of wisdom, prosperity, good fortune and at the beginning of a auspicious event or a journey.

Legend:

Stories tell us that Lord Ganesh was created by goddess Parvati out of sandalwood paste that she used for her bath and breathed life into the figure. She then set him to stand guard at her door while she bathed. Lord Shiva returned and as Ganesh didn't know him, he didn't allow him to enter. Lord Shiva became enraged and ask his followers to teach the child a lesson. Since Ganesh was born of Parvati, he was an embodiment of shakti and all powerful. He defeated Shiva's followers and declared that nobody was allowed to enter while his mother was bathing. Sensing a growing turmoil, Narada and Saptarashi went to appease Ganesh but it was in vain. Angered, Indira attacked Ganesh with his entire heavenly army and they lost too. During this fight, Shiva severed Ganesh's head. This made Parvati weep with sorry and angry with Shiva. She vowed to destroy the universe where her son was killed. The Gods prostrated before her and Shiva promised to get Ganesh back to life. The trinity hunted the world for a head and came across a mother elephant crying for her dead baby. They consoled the mother and promised to fix the head of the baby elephant in place of Ganesh's head. Lord Shiva declared from that day that the boy would be called Ganesha. In this way, Lord Ganesh came to be depicted as the elephant-headed God.