GANESH CHATHURTHI
 Ganesh Chathurthi is celebrated on 4th day of Bhadrapada Masa (Lunar Calendar) and the thithi(day) shall extend to the afternoon. If the thithi ends in the morning itself i.e. thithi ending time given in Panchang, then previous day on which chathurthi extends during noon shall be taken for celebrating the festival. This year it falls on 18th September 2004.
On the festival day after having Abhyangana Snana i.e. bath, taking an idol of Lord Ganesh made of wet clay and placing it at prayer place on a plate filled with rice, conducting prayers and offering flowers, fruits and Patri (various leaves of liked by the lord). The prayers are conducted to have success in all efforts, not to have hurdles, not to have blame. It is said that those do not conduct Pooja and listen to the story of Ganesh's curse to Lord Krishna, are likely to suffer from blames. After third day of Pooja or ninth day, the temporary idol of Lord Ganesh will be taken to river or water tank and will be immersed.
During independence movement there were restrictions on conducting meetings. processions etc. and to overcome the restrictions imposed British rulers, the leaders of Independence movement Sri Bala Gangadhar Tilak and others have chosen marriage procession or funeral procession etc. as an opportunity to conduct the meetings and congregations. Sri Tilak had found a way to congregate people for giving the message to the people, in the form of Ganesh Chathurthi immersion procession in Bombay where he could mobilize large number of people to sub serve independence movement and struggle. The practice of conducting joint procession of Ganesh Immersion continued today in Bombay. The same practice is brought to Hyderabad and other places by VHP and BJP for their political ends. |
