Why Hindus Celebrate their Gods’ Birthdays
Hindus in India and abroad love to celebrate the birthdays of their gods and goddesses with great pomp and fanfare. It is believed that the deities will be in a benevolent mood on their birthdays and more inclined to grant boons and favors if devotees worship them and make special offerings on their special day. For this reason, Ganesh Chaturthi is an occasion for grand celebrations, as it marks the birthday of Ganesha/Ganapati, the popular elephant-headed deity of Hinduism, who is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
Facts about Lord Ganesha
Ganesha has pride of place in the Hindu pantheon. He is the first deity to be propitiated during Poojas and other auspicious Hindu ceremonies. As the Remover of Obstacles, he is also an important deity whose blessings are much sought-after. Who can succeed in life when obstacles block their path? So, Ganesha enjoys a pre-eminent place in the hearts and minds of Hindus. Also, he is the dispenser of good fortune, which is essential for success in life. So, it is not surprising that Ganesha has legions of devotees.
Ganesha is the deity of arts and sciences, intellect, learning, and wisdom. As the god of new beginnings, devotees honor him at the start of rites and ceremonies. People also invoke him when children are initiated into the world of learning and knowledge. Several holy texts narrate stories about his birth and exploits. As per Kundalini yoga, Ganesha dwells in the first chakra or Muladhara.
In Maharashtra, there was always a tradition of celebrating the festival since the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji. The nationalist leader Lokmanya Tilak (Bal Gangadhar Tilak) revived it and turned it into a national festival. Under his initiative, the family Pooja became a well-organized community affair that brought people together and led to the birth of nationalism in the state.
Origin Stories of Ganesha
One origin story claims that Ganesha was created by Parvati using turmeric or dirt from her body to protect her, and Shiva chopped off his head when Ganesha did not allow him to enter Parvati’s chamber, which he was guarding on Parvati’s instructions. To appease Parvati, Shiva replaced Ganesha’s original head with an elephant’s head. According to another story, Ganesha was created by Shiva’s laughter. Finding Ganesha too alluring, Shiva gave him the head of an elephant and a pot belly to diminish his allure. Yet another story says that he was the son of the elephant-headed goddess Malini after she happened to drink Parvati’s bath water.
The birthday of Ganesha is observed in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada (Aug-Sept). It is a 10-day festival that starts on Shukla Chaturthi, the 4th day of the waxing lunar phase.
Ganesh Chaturthi Festival
On the festival’s first day, people bring home clay idols of Ganesha, marking the deity’s arrival. The idol is worshipped with rituals and offerings on the subsequent days, and on the 10th day (Ananta Chaturdashi), the idols are immersed in nearby waterbodies. Some families choose to immerse the idols on the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, or 7th day.
It was in 1893 that Ganesh Chaturthi, which had hitherto been a private family celebration, was turned into a huge public festival by Lokmanya Tilak. By doing so, he helped unite Hindus in Maharashtra by bringing people of all castes together to fight the British and demand freedom for the country. Ganesha was a popular deity, so Tilak chose him. Tilak also installed large idols of Ganesha in public places and introduced the practice of immersing all of them on the festival’s last day.
While the whole country celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi with great zeal, it is very popular in Maharashtra, where there are grand celebrations featuring massive Ganesha idols.
Spirit of Ganesh Chaturthi
As Ganesh Chaturthi is a major festival for Hindus, it is a time to bond with family, friends, and neighbors. The entire community comes together to celebrate the festival, and all differences of caste and religion are forgotten. Local cultural organizations collect funds for the celebrations and plan music and dance programs for the festive occasion. Hindu festivals are very colorful and exuberant and Ganesh Chaturthi is no exception.
Like all religious festivals, Ganesh Chaturthi cements the bond between humans and the divine. It shows that religion and devotion to god can heal differences between human beings instead of dividing them. People of all faiths take part in the celebrations and the cultural events that are part of the festival. It is a beautiful testament to the enduring diversity and secular fabric of India, whose people follow many faiths and speak many languages and yet live in peace and harmony.
The immersion of Ganesha idols on the last day has an underlying message. While Ganesha signifies our body consciousness, water signifies soul consciousness. The immersion of the idols in water symbolizes that the ultimate purpose of human life is the merging of human consciousness with the Universal Soul.
In the true spirit of Ganesh Chaturthi, let us celebrate the birthday of Ganesha in fellowship, amity, and harmony, because that is what would please Ganesha the most!
Ganesh Chaturthi 2024 begins on Saturday, September 7.