~ Hindu Festivals ~

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Ganesh Chaturthi Fast

Ganesh chaturthi is one of the well known Hindu festivals of India, celebrated with gusto. Just as Durga Puja is for Bengalis, Onam for Malayalees and Pongal for Tamilians, Ganesh Chaturthi is the most important festival for Marathis in the country. Hence, the festival is celebrated with great fanfare across Maharashtra. In addition to this, the Telugu people in Andhra Pradesh celebrate this fervor with religious observance, just like that done in Maharashtra. People, in both the States, dance around beautifully sculpted oversized idols of Lord Ganesha. A temporary puja pandal (canopy) is set up, where the idol of Lord Ganesha is worshipped.

Communities compete with each other to put up a more outstanding pandal and idol of Lord Ganesha, thus paving the way to a lot of variety. Amidst much fanfare and festivities, the priest installs the idol into the respective pooja pandal, after the idol is taken on a grand procession. Apart from the pandals, people also flock into the temples that are dedicated to Lord Ganesha. They offer modak (ladoo, a sweetmeat made of flour and sugar) to the deity, as it is his favorite. A day-long fast is observed by the devotees, which is broken only after the Ganesha puja and aarti in the evening. In this article, you will know all about Ganesh Chaturthi vrat (fast).

Ganesh Chaturthi Vrat

The devotees of Lord Ganesha, who intend to observe a fast on Ganesha Chaturthi, would wake up early in the morning and take bath. After wearing laundered clothes, they would head towards the nearest temple or perform a small puja at their home, to offer prayers to the deity. In the temples, special puja would be conducted. The devotees would offer prasad to the deity. The temples are filled with the sacred chants and mantras. Bhajans are sung. This creates a perfect festive mood for the devotees, who flock the religious place to invoke Lord Ganesha and seek his blessings.

When people are on a fast on the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, they may opt for either the nirjal vrat (a stringent, waterless fast) or phalahar vrat (a diet). As a general fact, the devotees who have observed vrat on the festival are allowed to consume sweets including Til ka Ladoo (sesame sweetmeat), gajak and rewari (sweets made of sesame and jaggery), along with tea and coffee. They generally abstain from other forms of food, while non-vegetarian food is strictly not allowed, when someone is on a fast. In order to stay concentrated, the devotees would chant mantras invoking Lord Ganesha and sing bhajans on his praise. It is believed that if one observes fast on Ganesha Chaturthi with sincerity, he/she would be blessed with health, wealth and prosperity.

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Ganesh Chaturthi History

Ganesha Chaturthi is one of the most important Hindu festival in India. It is the day on which Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati was born. The day thus marks the auspicious birth of one of the most important Hindu God. This day is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi in many parts of the country. It is celebrated on of fourth day of the waxing moon period in the month of Bhaadrapada according to the Hindu calendar. According to the Gregorian calendar, this day falls between 20 August and 15 September. The festival is celebrated with immense enthusiasm in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh for ten days. If you want to explore the origin and history of this festival, you can refer to the article given here.

Origin
According to the legend, the festival marks the auspicious day of the birth of Lord Ganesha. The story goes as follows- Lord Shiva, the Hindu God of resolution, was away from Kailash due to some work. As Parvati was alone at home, she felt the necessity of some one to guard the door to her house while she took bath. When she did not get any one, she conceived of the idea of creating a son who could guard her. She then created Ganesha out of her sandalwood paste and breathed life into the idol. She then asked him to stand on the gate and do not let any body enter until she came out. Unfortunately, Shiva returned home in the meantime. As, Ganesha did recognize him, he stopped Shiva from entering as per his mother's advice. This badly enraged Lord Shiva, who cut off Ganesha's head by his trident. When Parvati saw beheaded Ganesha, took on the form of the Goddess Kali and threatened to destruct all the three worlds.

The earth, the heaven, the nether world, all was shaken and every body ran to Shiva for solution. In order to appease Lord Parvati and save the world from destruction, Lord Shiva sent out his followers to find a child whose mother is facing another direction in negligence, cut off his head and bring it quickly. The first such child that came in the eyes of the Shiva followers was an elephant, so they brought the head of this elephant and Shiva placed it on the trunk of Parvati's son and gave life into him. Parvati was the overwhelmed with happiness and embraced her son. They named her Ganesha i.e the Lord of all Ganas (followers).

History
Though the festival is being celebrated since times immemorial, the present kind of celebrations of Ganesha Chaturthi came in fashion in 1893, Lokmanya Tilak, an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer reshaped the annual Ganesh festival from a private family celebration into a community event. The day was conceived to be the National Festival in order to bridge the gap between the Brahmins and the non-Brahmins in the society. Tilak chose this festival for this purpose because Lord Ganesh was considered to be the ' God of Everyman'. It then served as a meeting ground for people of all community and religion on a public platform. Since then the festival has served its cause of existence. Even now people irrespective of caste and community barriers celebrate this festival with great joy.

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Ganesh Chaturthi Pooja

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with extreme enthusiasm in India. This festival is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. It is celebrated with immense zeal and fervor throughout the country, however the celebrations of this festival in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are well known for their exceptional grandeur every where. The entire celebration of this festival goes on for ten days. On the final day of the festival, the devotees of Ganesha observe a whole day fast and take out a long procession of the Lord in the city. During these ten days, the devotees gather together for the celebration every day at the temporarily arranged Pandal to worship their deity. They also sing songs, burst crackers and dance to the tune of traditional drums in order to express their gaiety.

Puja On Ganesha Chaturthi
It is generally preferable to do Ganesha puja on the Chaturthi day at the noon, however you can perform the pooja as per your wish whenever all the members of your family are present. In order to carry on the pooja, you will require following items- A Clay image of Lord Ganesha, flowers, druva grass blades, sweets (preferably Modak), coconut, sandalwood paste and incense sticks. The Pooja begins with the establishment of idol on a higher platform and giving it a bathe with Panchamrit. You can now pray to Lord Ganesh and recite all the mantras or bhajans dedicated to Lord Ganesha. You now have to invoke Lord Ganesha through your prayers and bring life in the idol. The mantra for this can be found in the in the Rig Veda and is part of Ganesh Suktha.

Once you invoke life in the idol, you need to light lamp and incense sticks in order to please Lord Ganesha. After this, you need to perform the shhodashopachara, which are 16 forms of paying tribute to Ganesha. In this you need to offer 21 blades of druva grass, 21 modakas, and flowers to Lord Ganesha. You need to apply a tilak using red Sandalwood paste to idol and keep the coconut along with the idol. After you have offered your best possible prasada to the Lord, you simply need to recite the 108 salutations dedicated to Lord Ganesha. All the family members can then bow down to Ganesha and seek his blessings. The puja is performed in a similar way even if it is a community fest. You need not to exceptionally elaborate the rituals of the Pooja rather all you need to do is pray with a clean heart and pious objective.

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Ganesh Chaturthi Katha

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great fanfare by Hindus across different parts of India. The celebrations of the festival in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh (known as Vinayaka Chaturthi in the state) are worth special mention. People indulge in the merrymaking by observing fast for the entire day. Idols of Lord Ganesha are made few months prior to the festival. The devotees sing songs, burst crackers and dance to the tune of traditional drums, as the idol of Lord Ganesha is taken on a procession. The streets are filled with the devotees of Lord Ganesha. The air is filled with festivity on the occasion. The devotees of Lord Ganesha visit the nearest temple of the deity, on Ganesh Chaturthi.

Special pujas are performed at temples dedicated to Lord Ganesha or the puja pandals (temporarily built for the occasion), in the honor of the deity. Modak (laddoo, a sweet) is offered to the god, as it is his favorite. The devotees, who want to show their immense love and honor to the idol, observe a fast for the entire day. It is believed that by observing fast on Ganesh Chaturthi with sincerity and devotion, Lord Ganesha blesses his devotees with health, wealth and prosperity. Since vrat is an important part of the celebrations, vrat katha (the story narrated during Ganesha puja) is also prominent. In the article, we have provided the vrat katha of Ganesh Chaturthi.

Ganesha Chaturthi Vrat Katha
According to the legends, Goddess Parvati was taking bath. While bathing, she created an idol made of mud, named it Lord Ganesha and placed it at the entranceway. She breathed in life to the idol and hence, Lord Ganesha was born. She instructed him to act as a guard and not allow anybody inside, unless she has finished bathing. After some time, Lord Shiva, the consort of Goddess Parvati, entered home. He was very thirsty. As he was approaching Goddess Parvati to quench his thirst, he was stopped by Lord Ganesha.

Stubborn Lord Ganesha didn't allow Lord Shiva to enter the premises, where Goddess Parvati was taking bath. This made Lord Shiva very angry and consequently, he beheaded Lord Ganesha. When Goddess Parvati came to know this, she became intensely angry and grew ferocious and strong enough to destruct the world. All the Gods from swarglok and Lord Shiva himself requested the highly aggressive Goddess Parvati to calm down. In order to pacify her, Lord Shiva fixed the head of an elephant onto Lord Ganesha's body. Not satisfied with it, Goddess Parvati asked that Lord Ganesha should be worshipped before all the other gods. Since then, Lord Ganesha is invoked first, before worshipping any other deity. This story makes the foundation for the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in different parts of India.

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Ganesh Chaturthi In India

Ganesh Chaturthi is a spectacular festival, honoring the birth of Lord Ganesha. It is celebrated all over India, but the maximum grandeur is witnessed at Maharashtra. This festival witnesses various cultural events, which bring the public together and enhance the sense of belongingness and togetherness. The celebration ends with the immersion of the Lord Ganesha's idol into the water. Huge processions of people carry the idol to a river, lake or ocean, accompanied by the chant of Ganapati Bappa Morya. Ganesh Chaturthi is the significant festival of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Celebrations in Maharashtra
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in almost each and every household of Maharashtra, with great faith and belief, for around ten days. The celebrations take place at both individual and community level. Huge pandals are set up and the idol of Ganesha is worshipped by the entire community together, with pomp and show. The celebrations begin with the installation of a Lord Ganesha idol in home, which is worshipped daily by the family members as well as their friends, relatives and even neighbors, who come to have darshan of the Lord. Various cultural events are also organized during these ten days. The celebration ends on the tenth day, when all the people go to the river or sea, to immerse the idol.

Celebrations in Karnataka
In Karnataka, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with prayers offered to Gauri, the mother of Lord Ganesh. The married women pray to Goddess Gauri, to get blessings ofeir long lasting married life. It is celebrated in different temples of Lord Ganesh, where prayers are offered to the Lord and Gauri. In Karnataka, Ganesh Chaturthi is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi and is counted amongst the popularly celebrated festivals.

Celebrations in Gujarat
In Ahmedabad, the capital city of Gujarat, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great pomp and show. Offerings are made to Lord Ganesh at numerous temples. Elaborate arrangements are made for lighting and decoration and Ganeshji is fervently worshipped for about 7-10 days. On the day of the Chaturthi, i.e. the last of the ten days dedicated to God, idols are immersed at river Sabarmati and Kankaria Lake. Firecrackers are let off and huge images of Ganeshji are carried in grand procession for 'Ganesh Visarjan' (immersion), accompanied by the sound of devotional songs and drums.

Celebrations in Rajasthan
In Rajasthan, on Ganesh Chaturthi, an image of Ganesh is bathed in red kumkum and a garland of red flowers is put on the idol, placed by many households right outside their entrance. A small thaal, with haldi and kumkum, is also placed at the entrance, so that the visiting people take a pinch of each and put it on their foreheads and throat. Ladoos are usually kept in the house, to be first offered to Ganeshji and then distributed as prasad to the devotees.

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Ganesh Chaturthi Customs

Ganesh Chaturthi is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi. It is a very famous festival in India and is especially celebrated in a grand manner in Maharashtra. It marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed god. The festival falls in the month of Bhadrapada, generally between August and September, and lasts for 10 days. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated by following a number of traditional customs and rituals, some of which have been listed in the following lines.

Ganesh Chaturthi Customs & Rituals

Two to three months before Ganesh Chaturthi, clay models of Lord Ganesha are prepared for sale, by especially skilled artisans. They decorate and depict the Lord in various poses, to match the religious theme. The height of the statues varies from ¾ inch to over 25 feet.

A day before the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi, the house is cleaned and whitewashed, especially the place where the idol is to be placed, in order to attain the sense of purity.

Ganesha idols, after being brought, are carried with their faces covered with a saffron cloth. The idol is accompanied by chanting and sound of cymbals.

In the evening of the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi, sthapana (installation) of the idol takes place. The idol is installed in the place of worship. All the members of the household gather around the decorated altar and the priests perform a ritual, by which the idol is said to be filled with life.

After the installation, traditional puja takes place at the chosen time. The worshipper sips the holy water and performs the pranayama and bows to Ganesha and all the other gods. The process continues with Ganapati Aarti and devotional chanting, sung along with the sound of cymbals, bells and clapping.

During the puja, a sweet called “modak” is offered to the god, along with the flowers, completing the ritual of the first day. After the pooja is over, the distribution of sweets, offered to Lord Ganesha, takes places amongst devotees, as prasad.

Throughout the ten days of Ganesh Chtaurthi, the idol is worshipped with simple recitations of the devotional songs, offering of flowers and lamps, along with the sweets.

Ganesh Chtaurthi celebration comes to an end on the tenth day. The idol of Ganesha is carried to a water source, in the final procession, accompanied by the chanting 'Ganapati Bappa Morya'. Finally, the idol is immersed in the water.

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Ganesh Chaturthi Legends

Lord Ganesh is considered to be the God who has the ability to bestow wisdom and wealth upon humans. All the new undertakings, whether at place of work or at home, start by reciting the mantra of Lord Ganesha. He is known as the God of good luck and prosperity. Therefore, before any auspicious occasion, Hindus performs the puja of Lord Ganesha, to achieve success in it. Ganesh Chaturthi, the day marking the birth of the Lord, is celebrated in a grand manner in Maharashtra as well as other parts of India. It falls in the Hindu lunar month of Bhadra and lasts over a period of ten days. One of the most loving festivals of India, Ganesh Chaturthi has many legends associated with it. Given below are the legends from Shiv and Skanda Purana.

Legend From Shiv Purana
The most popular legend associated with Lord Ganesha can be found in the Shiv Purana. It says that Lord Ganapati was created out of the dough that Goddess Parvati used for her bath. The Goddess wanted a door-keeper, to prevent the coming of any visitors when she took a bath. So, she created a doll from the dough and breathed life into him. The day she did this came to be known as the birthday of Lord Ganesha, which we today celebrate as Ganesh Chaturthi.

On day, while Goddess Parvati was taking her bath, Lord Shiva happened to visit her. Ganesha did not know him, so he did not allow the Lord to enter the house. This made Lord Shiva angry and he beheaded Ganesha. Later, when he came to know the truth, he fixed the head of an elephant in place of Ganesha's head. With this, the appearance of Lord Ganesha changed and he came to have the head of an elephant.

Legend From Skanda Purana
There is yet another popular legend associated with Ganesh Chaturthi, arising from Skanda Purana. It goes that once Ganesha was invited for a feast in Chandralok. He ate many Ladoos and later, as he got up to walk after the meal, he could not balance himself, because of his huge stomach, and slipped. His stomach burst and all the laddoos came rolling out. Seeing this, the moon could not control himself and began laughing. Ganesha got angry and cursed the moon that it will vanish from the universe.

Because of moon's absence, the whole world began to wane. The gods asked Lord Shiva to get Ganesha to change his mind. The moon also apologized for his misbehavior. Finally, Ganesha modified his curse saying that the moon would be invisible on only one day of a month and would be partially seen on Ganesha Chaturthi. He also added that anyone who watches moon on Ganesha Chaturthi would face a false accusation. This is the reason why, even today, it is considered inauspicious to look at the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi.

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Lord Ganesh

Lord Ganesh is the elephant-headed God, who is known as Lord of Beginnings and the Lord of Obstacles. He is regarded as the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The image of the Lord has four hands, elephant's head and a big belly. His charioteer is a tiny mouse, which shows a unique combination of wisdom, intelligence and presence of mind. Lord Ganesh is worshipped before starting any new venture. In fact, his names and aarti are recited before starting any auspicious work, in order to achieve success in it.

Origin
It is said that Lord Ganapati originated from the mud of Goddess Partvati's Body. She placed Him at the entrance of the house, as the door-keeper, while she took a bath. It so happened that Lord Shiva came to visit the Goddess at that time and Ganesha did not allow him to enter the house. This made Lord Shiva angry and he beheaded Ganesh. When Shiva came to know about the truth, he fixed the head of an elephant in place of Ganesha's head. With this, image of Lord Ganesha became as we know of today.

Names
Lord Ganesh is known by 108 names, given in relation to his appearance, nature and charioteer. These names are:

Akhurath, Alampata, Amit, Anantachidrupamayam, Avaneesh, Avighna, Balaganapati, Bhalchandra, Bheema, Bhupati, Bhuvanpati, Buddhinath, Buddhipriya, Buddhividhata, Chaturbhuj, Devadeva, Devantakanashakarin, Devavrata, Devendrashika, Dharmik, Dhoomravarna, Durja, Dvaimatura, Ekaakshara, Ekadanta, Ekadrishta, Eshanputra, Gadadhara, Gajakarna, Gajanana, Gajananeti, Gajavakra, Gajavaktra, Ganadhakshya, Ganadhyakshina, Ganapati, Gaurisuta, Gunina, Haridra, Heramba, Kapila, Kaveesha, Kriti, Kripalu, Krishapingaksha, Kshamkaram, Kshipra, Lambakarna, Lambodara,Mahabala, Mahaganapati, Maheshwaram, Mangalamurti, Manomay, Mrityuanjaya, Mundakarama, Muktidaya, Musikvahana, Nadapratithishta, Namasthetu, Nandana, Nideeshwaram, Omkara, Pitambara, Pramoda, Prathameshwara, Purush, Rakta, Rudrapriya, Sarvadevatman, Sarvasiddhanta, Sarvatman, Hambhavi, Shashivarnam, Shoorpakarna, Shuban, Shubhagunakanan, Shweta, Siddhidhata, Siddhipriya, Skandapurvaja, Sumukha, Sureshwaram, Swaroop, Tarun, Uddanda, Umaputra, Vakratunda, Varaganapati, Varaprada, Varadavinayaka, Veeraganapati, Vidyavaridhi, Vighnahara, Vignaharta, Vighnaraja, Vighnarajendra, Vighnavinashanaya, Vigneshwara, Vikat, Vinayaka, Vishwamukha, Vishwaraja, Yagnakaya, Yashaskaram, Yashvasin, Yogadhipa and Siddhivinayaka.

Aarti of Lord Ganesha

Jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva
Mata jaki Parvati, pita Mahadeva

Ek dant dayavant, char bhuja dhari
Mathe par tilak sohe, muse ki savari
Jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva,
Mata jaki Parvati, pita Mahadeva...

Pan chadhe, phul chadhe, aur chadhe meva
Ladduan ka bhog lage, sant kare seva
Jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva,
Mata jaki Parvati, pita Mahadeva...

Andhan ko ankh det, kodhin ko kaya
Banjhan ko putra det, nirdhan ko maya
Surya shaam sharan aye, safal kije seva
Jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh, jai Ganesh deva,
Mata jaki Parvati, Pita Mahadeva…

Translation of Aarti

Glory to you, O Lord Ganesha!
Born of Parvati, daughter of the Himalayas, and the great Shiva.
O Lord of compassion, you have a single tusk, four arms,
A vermilion mark of on your forehead, and ride on a mouse.
People offer you betel leaves, blossoms, fruits
And sweets, while saints and seers worship you.
Glory to you, O Lord Ganesha!
Born of Parvati, daughter of the Himalayas, and the great Shiva.
You bestow vision on the blind, chastened body on the leprous,
Children on the sterile and wealth on the destitute.
We pray to thee day and night, please bestow success upon us.
Glory to you, O Lord Ganesha!
Born of Parvati, daughter of the Himalayas, and the great Shiva.

[MysteRy]

Ganesh Chaturthi Myths

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the popular festivals of Hindus, celebrated across India. It marks the birthday of Lord Ganesh, son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It starts with Lord Ganesha idols being installed in the house and ends with the immersion of the worshipped idols, in the sea, river or lake. Just like other Indian festivals, Ganesh Chaturthi also has certain myths and beliefs associated to it. Lets us know more about them.

Myths

Do Not Look At The Moon On The Night Of The Ganesh Chaturthi
There is a myth which says that anyone who looks at the moon on the night of Ganesh Chaturthi will be falsely accused of something. If a person happens to see the moon unintentionally, listening to or reciting the story of the syamantaka jewel (found in the Puranas) can help ward off trouble. If the incident is intentional, then the person will have to face the consequences. The basis of this myth is in a very popular legend related to Lord Ganesha, who is known to be very fond of sweet, especially laddoos.

Lord Ganesha, on one of His birthdays, was going around house to house, accepting the offerings of sweets. He ate a good number of the sweets and set out at night, on his mouse. Suddenly, the mouse stumbled, as it saw a snake and became frightened. The result was that Ganeshji fell down. His stomach burst open and all the sweets came out. However, Ganeshji stuffed them back into his stomach and caught hold of the snake and tied it around his belly.

The moon saw Lord Ganesha doing all this and started laughing his heart out. This behavior of the moon annoyed the Lord immensely. So, he pulled out one of his tusks and hurled it against the moon. At the same time, Ganeshji cursed the moon that no one would look at it, on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. If anyone does, he will surely earn a bad name. Since then, people refrain from looking at the moon, on the night of the festival.

Beliefs

Ganeshji Removes Obstacles And Brings Prosperity
Lord Ganesha is the favorite God of the masses. In India, a new venture is never started without worshipping the Lord. Ganeshji is worshipped first on all auspicious occasions, whether it is a marriage or a religious function. Ganeshji is the foremost god of the Hindu Pantheon. Any new project or venture that a Hindu family undertakes has to start with His name. In fact, most of the housewives utter His name before even starting a small chore, as He is believed to be the remover of all sankat (obstacles).

Lord Ganesha is believed to fulfill the wishes and dreams of all those who pray to him sincerely. He has long been associated with commerce and merchants pay homage to him every day. If an Indian business or bank fails, all the images of Ganeshji in the offices will be turned upside down, signifying bad luck. In households, it's common for small offerings of money, flowers and food to be placed before the image of Ganeshji. These tokens please him and He brings more prosperity, wealth and peace to the family.

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Ganesh Chaturthi and Tilak

Ganesh Chaturthi is a major festival of Maharashtra, where thousands of gigantic idols of lord Ganesh are immersed by huge processions of worshipers shouting, Ganpati Bapa Morya. With time, the festival has now gained popularity all over India, with celebrations in south India and Gujarat being no less spectacular than those of Maharashtra. The year 1893 brought a major change in the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi. It was in this year that Lokmanya Tilak, an Indian nationalist, social reformer and freedom fighter reformed the annual Ganesh festival, from being a private celebration into a grand public event.

Till 1893, Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations were a private affair, not done on a public scale. People used to celebrate it in a traditional manner. It was Lokmanya Tilak who popularized Ganesh Chaturthi as a national festival, after visualizing its cultural importance. The reason for this was to enhance the sense of belongingness as well as togetherness among the citizens. It was also done with an aim to build a new grassroots unity between the Brahmins and the non-Brahmins.

History
Ganesh Chaturthi was an important festival during the Peshwa rule in Maharashtra. It acquired a more organized form all over India during the Swaraj movement, when Lord Ganesha was chosen as a rallying point for protest against British rule, because of his wide appeal as "the God for Everyman". One of Tilak's strongest movements to evoke nationalism, through religious passions, was the organization of Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharashtra, which inspired feelings of Hindu unity in the state.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak was the first person to install large public images of Ganesha in pavilions and he was the one who established the practice of submerging all the public images on the tenth day of the festival. Ganesh Chaturthi soon started seeing community participation and involvement, in the form of cultural events. It also served as a meeting point for common people of all castes and communities, at a time when social and political gatherings were forbidden by the British Rule.

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Navratri Customs

Navratri is a very important and popular festival of India. It comes twice on a year, once around March-April and the second time, around September-October. The nine days and nights of Navratri are entirely devoted to Mother Goddess. Throughout this period, fasts, strictly vegetarian diets, japa (chanting mantras in honor of the Goddess Shakti), religious hymns, prayer, meditation and recitation of sacred texts related to Devi Maa (Mother Goddess) form the order of the day. Apart from this, there are a number of other customs and rituals as well, which are associated with the festival. Let us know more about them.

Customs & Rituals of Navratri

The main ritual of Navratri, celebrated on September-October, consists of placing images of Goddess Durga, in homes and temples. The devotees offer fruits and flowers to the Goddess. They also sing bhajans in her honor.

The first three days of Navratri are devoted exclusively to the worship of Goddess Durga, when her energy and power are worshipped. Each day is dedicated to a different appearance of Durga, namely Kumari, Parvati and Kali.

There is also a custom of planting barley seeds in a small bed of mud on the first day of puja. The shoots, when grown, are given to the attendees, as a blessing from Goddess, after the puja ceremony.

These fourth, fifth and sixth days of Navratri are dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, the
Goddess of Wealth & Prosperity. Goddess Saraswati is also prayed to, on the fifth day, which is known as Lalita Panchami.

The seventh day is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, while the Goddess of Art and Knowledge is worshipped on the eight day and a yagna is also performed.

The ninth day is the final day of Navratri celebrations, which is also known as 'Mahanavami'. On this day, Kanya puja is performed, where nine young, who have not yet reached the stage of puberty, are worshipped. Each of these nine girls symbolizes one of the nine forms of Goddess Durga. The feet of the girls are washed, to welcome the goddess and show respect to her. Thereafter, the girls are offered food and a set of new clothes, as a gift from the devotees.

The nine-day Navratra celebrations, which fall in September-October, come to an end with the immersion of the idols of Goddess Durga in water.

Dandiya and Garba are the featured dances performed on the evenings of Navratri, mainly in Gujarat. Garba is performed before the 'aarti', as devotional performance in the honor of the Goddess, while Dandiya is performed after it, as a part of the celebrations.

In case of September-October Navratri celebrations, the tenth day is celebrated as Dussehra. On this day, devotees perform 'Saraswati Puja', for blessings of knowledge and mental peace. On the day, the burning of the dummy of demon king Ravana also takes place.

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Navratri Aarti

India is a land of colorful and vibrant festivals. Out of the clutter of festivals, Navratri stands as a prominent occasion, celebrated by people across the length and breadth of the country. It is celebrated in different ways, though the reason is the same - to commemorate the victory of good over the evil. Ma Durga and her avatars are worshipped all through the nine days of the festival. Special pujas are performed to invoke the deity and seek her blessings. According to the Hindu culture, every puja should be culminated with aarti. While performing the arti, a traditional song is sung, in the praise of the idol. In this article, we have provided the lyrics of some of the popular Navratri aarti songs.

Navaratri Arti Songs

Jai Ambe Gauri Maiyaa

Jai Ambe Gauri maiyaa, jai Shyaama Gauri
Nishdin tumko dhyaavat, Hari Brahmaa Shivji,
Jai Ambe Gauri maiyaa, jai Shyaama Gauri

Maang sindur biraajat, tiko mrigmadko,
Ujjvalse do naina, chandravadan niko,
Jai Ambe Gauri maiyaa, jai Shyaama Gauri

Kanak saman kalevar, raktaambar raje,
Raktapushp galmaala, kanthhaar saje,
Jai Ambe Gauri maiyaa, jai Shyaama Gauri

Kehari vaahan rajat, khadg khappar dhari
sur nar munijan sevat, tinke dukhahaari,
Jai Ambe Gauri maiyaa, jai Shyaama Gauri

Kaanan kundal shobhit, naasagre moti
Kotik chandra divaakar, samraajat jyoti,
Jai Ambe Gauri maiyaa, jai Shyaama Gauri

Shumbh- nishumbh vidaare, MahishaaSur ghatia
Dhumra-vilochan naina, nishdin madmati
Jai Ambe Gauri maiyaa, jai Shyaama Gauri

Brahmaani, Rudraani tum Kamalaa Raani,
Agam-nigam bakhaani. tum Shiv patraani,
Jai Ambe Gauri maiyaa, jai Shyaama Gauri

Chaunsath yogini gaavat, nritya karat Bhairon,
Baajat tab mridanga, aur bajat damru,
Jai Ambe Gauri maiyaa, jai Shyaama Gauri

Tum ho jag ki maataa, tum hi ho bhartaa,
Bhaktan ki dukh hartaa, sukh sampati kartaa,
Jai Ambe Gauri maiyaa, jai Shyaama Gauri

Bhujaa char ati shobhit, var mudraa dhaari,
Manvaanchhit phal paavat, sevak nar naari,
Jai Ambe Gauri maiyaa, jai Shyaama Gauri

Kanchan thaal virajat, agaru kapur baati
Malketu men rajat, kotiratan jyoti,
Jai Ambe Gauri maiyaa, jai Shyaama Gauri

Ma Jay Aadya Shakti

Mataji ni aarti.. Jaya aadhya shakti,
Maa jaya aadhya shakti,
Akhand brahmand nibhavyan (2x),
Padave pragatyan ma,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe

Dwitiya bay swaroop,
Shiva shakti janoo,
Maa shiva shakti janoo,
Bramha ganapati gaavun (2x),
Har gaavun har maa
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe

Tritiya tran swaroop,
Tribhuvan man betha,
Maa tribhuvan man betha,
Traya thaki taraveni (2x),
Tun taraveni maa,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe

Chote chatura mahalaxmi,
Sacharachar vyapya,
Maa sacharachar vyapya,
Char bhuja chau deesha (2x),
Pragatya dakshina maa,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe

Panchame pancha rushi,
Panchame goon padame,
Maa panchame goon padame,
Pancha sahast tyan sohiya (2x),
Panche tatwo maa,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe

Shasthi tun narayani,
Mahisasur maaryo,
Maa mahisasur maaryo,
Nar naree na roope (2x),
Vyapa saghade maa,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe

Saptami sapta pataal,
Sandhya saveetri,
Maa sandhya saveetri,
Gau ganga gayatree (2x),
Gauri geeta maa,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe

Asthami astha bhooja,
Aayee ananda,
Maa ayee ananda,
Surinar moonivar janamya (2x),
Devo daityo maa,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe

Navami navakul naag,
Seve navadurga,
Maa seve navadurga,
Navaratri naa poojan,
Shivratri naa arachan,
Kidha nar brahma,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe

Dashami dash avatar,
Jay vijaya dashmi,
Maa jay vijaya dashmi,
Rame ram ramadya (2x),
Ravan rodyo maa,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe.

Ekadashi agiyarash,
Katyayani kaamaa,
Maa katyayani kaamaa,
Kaam doorga kalika(2x),
Shyama ne raama,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe.

Barase bala roop,
Bahuchari amba maa,
Maa bahuchari amba maa,
Batuk bhairava sohiye (2x),
Tara chhe tuja,
Maa jay om jay om maa jagadambe.

Terase tulaja roop,
Tun taruni mata,
Maa tun taruni mata,
Brahma vishnu sadashiv (2x),
Guna tara gata,
Om Jay Om Jay Om Maa Jagadambe

Chaudashe chauda roop,
Chandi chamunda,
Maa chandi chamunda,
Bhava bhakti kain aapo,
Potani kai stapho,
Sinha vahani,
Maa jay om jay om maa jagadambe.

Shivashakti ne aarti,
Je koyee gaashe,
Maa je bhaave gaashe,
Bhane shivananda swami(2x),
Sukha sampati thaassey,
Har kailashe jaashe,
Maa amba dukha harashe,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe

Eke ek swaroop,
Antar nava darasho,
Maa antar nava darasho,
Bhola bhoodar na bhajata,
Maa amba ne bhajata,
Bhavasaagar tarasho,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe

Bhava na janoo,
Bhakti na janoo seva,
Maa na janoo seva,
Mata na daas ne raakho(2x),
Charnamrit leva,
Om jay om jay om maa jagadambe.

[MysteRy]

Navratri Bhajans

There are two Navratri celebrations in India. The first Navaratri is called the Chaitra Navratrai and the second is called Ashwin Navratri. The first one is celebrated in the month of March- April and the second is celebrated in the month of September – October according to the Gregorian calendar. The celebrations of both these Navratri is full of devotion, joy and passion in the country. The nine days festive celebrations fill the entire atmosphere with colors of devotion and love for the deity. Devotees of Maa Durga observe fast for the nine days. They fill the surroundings with mantras, sholkas and bhajans dedeicated to Mata Rani and make the entire atmosphere pious and sanctified. Lyrics of few of the popular Navratri devotional songs are given below, you can sing them in the coming Navratri celebrations.

Bhajans For Navratri

Jaya Aadya Shakti

Jaya Aadya Shakti
Ma Jaya Aadya Shakti
Akhand Brhamand dipavya
panave pragatya ma
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Dwitiya Mehsarup Shivshakti janu
ma shivshakti janu
brahma ganapti gaye
brahma ganapti gaye
hardayi har ma
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Trutiya tran sarup tribhuvan ma betha
ma tribhuvan ma betha
daya thaki karveli
daya thaki karveli
utarvenima
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Chouthe chatura malaxmi ma
sachrachal vyapya
ma sachrachal vyapya
char bhuja cho disha
char bhuja cho disha
pragtya dakshin ma
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Panchame panchrushi panchami gunpadma
ma panchami gunpadma
panchtatv tya soshiye
panchtatv tya soshiye
panchetatvo ma
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Shashthi tu narayani mahishasur maryo
ma mahishasur maryo
narnari na rupe
narnari na rupe
vyapaya saghale ma
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Saptami sapt patal sandhya savitri
ma sandhya savitri
gau ganga gayatri
gau ganga gayatri
gauri geeta ma
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Ashthmi ashtha bhujao ayi ananda
ma ayi ananda
sunivar munivar janamya
sunivar munivar janamya
dev daityoma
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Navmi navkul nag seve navadurga
ma seve navadurga
navratri na pujan
shivratri na archan
kidha har brahma
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Dashmi dash avtaar jay vijyalaxmi
ma jay vijyalaxmi
rame ravan marya
rame ravan marya
ravan maryo ma
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Ekadashi agiyar tatyanikama
ma tatyanikama
kaldurga kalika
kaldurga kalika
shama ne vama
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Barase kala rup bahuchar amba ma
ma bahuchar amba ma
asur bhairav souie
kal bhairav soiye
tara chhe tuj ma
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Terase tulja rup tu tarunimata
ma tu tarunimata
brahma vishnu sadashiv
brahma vishnu sadashiv
gun tara gata
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Shivbhakti ni aarati je koi gaye
ma je koi gaye
bhane shivannad swami
bhane shivannad swami
sukh sampati pashe
har kaileshe jashe
ma amba dukh harashe
Om Jayo Jayo Ma Jagdambe

Maa teri mamta

Maa teri mamta kitni pyaree, Kitna pyar jagaate hai
Swaas swaas ke raksha karti, Pag pag praan bachati hai
Tu maato say bhaag jagaaday, Bhaagi Bhaagi aati hai
Tu Kali Maha Kali Durga, Tu hai baal Bhavani hai
Tu puran kaa saar Saradaa, Tu Vedo ki baani hai
Tu baalak goad may lay Kar, Jeewan geet sunaati hai
Tu Rishiyo ke Riddhi Siddhi, Tu Brahma ke bhaktu Maa
Tu Vishnu ke mayaa devi, Tu Shankar ke Shakti Maa
Maa teri mamta kitni pyaree, Kitna pyar jagaate hai

[MysteRy]

Navratri Date

Navratri is an important Hindu festival, celebrated with religious fervor and great enthusiasm by the Hindus in different parts of the country. It is celebrated twice a year - in March-April (as Chaitra Navratri) and in October-November. While the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri is celebrated as Ram Navami, the festival celebrated in September-October commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. Though a number of legends are associated with the conception of Navratri, just like all the other Hindu festivals, the deity Goddess Shakti and her various forms are worshipped in both the cases.

Navaratri holds a special significance in Gujarat and West Bengal. In Gujarat, the festival is celebrated to worship Goddess Jagdamba, while in West Bengal it takes the shape of Durga Puja. Coming down to the southern parts of the country, the Navratri in October-November is dedicated to the three avatars of Goddess Shakti - the first three days to Goddess Durga (the Warrior Goddess), the next three days to Goddess Lakshmi (the Goddess of Wealth) and the last three days to Goddess Saraswati (the Goddess of Knowledge). Bomma Kolu (display of small statuettes and idols of Gods) is the important ritual of Navratri in South India.

Fasting is one of the highlights of Navratri. People observe fast for either seven or eight days, to honor Goddess Shakti. While many people break their fast on the eighth day (Ashtami) of Navratri by worshipping young girls, others do the same thing on the ninth day (Navami) of the festival, to culminate the celebrations. All through the seven or eight days of fasting, the people would survive on a diet especially formulated for the fast. It typically consists of fruits, milk and its products, sago recipes, potato recipes (both cooked without spices). Sendha namak (rock salt) is used for the recipes of Navratri fast. On the day when they break fast, they would worship young girls, seek their blessings in return of which, the devotees would offer money and prasad as the dakshina.

The celebrations of Navratri are characterized by the worship of Goddess Shakti. Although people in different regions celebrate the festival in different ways, according to their indigenous customs, the thought among everyone is the same - to invoke Goddess Shakti and seek her blessings. In Maharashtra, the nine nights of Navratri are dedicated to worship of the deity and dance performances, typically dandiya (a folk dance performed by men and women). In Gujarat, Garba dance is performed during the festival, while in South India, worship of the deity is given importance. It is interesting to see the Hindu people, belonging to different regions of India, to celebrate Navratri with equal enthusiasm, every year.

Navaratri Festival 2012

Chaitra Navratri or Vasant Navratri: March 23, 2012 to April 1, 2012
Sharad Navratri: October 16, 2012 to October 23, 2012

[MysteRy]

Navratri Fast

The Hindu festival of Navratri, which extends for nine days, is celebrated with gusto in different regions of the country. In the eastern state of West Bengal, the festival takes the shape of Durga Puja, when the devotees of the deity celebrate the triumph of good over evil. There, Ma Durga is worshipped as Goddess Shakti. In north India, Maharashtra and Gujarat, people observe a seven day fast during Navratri and break their fast on Ashtami (the eighth day of the festival) by worshiping young girls. However, some people observe fast until the Ashtami and break their fast only on Navami (the ninth day). If you want to know more about Navratri fast, then explore the article.

Navratri Fasting Procedure

On the festive occasion of Navratri, fast is observed by people for seven or eight days, depending upon when they want to conduct the Kanchika Pujan (when young girls are worshipped). The devotees, who have observed fast, would get up early in the morning, take bath and offer prayers to the deity. People follow a specific diet for Navratri, if they haven't observed a nirahar (waterless) fast. Most people nowadays perform partial fasting. They would abstain from non-vegetarian food, alcohol and those dishes that are made of common salt or any kind of spice. Singhare ka atta (kuttu ka atta) is used to prepare rotis or puris, for the fast.

One may drink beverages like tea, coffee and milk, on Navratri. Dishes made of sago and potato is generally consumed by the people, when they observe fast on Navratri. Sendha namak (rock salt) is used instead of common salt, for cooking on the festival. All fruits and foodstuff made of fruits are eaten during the seven days. Nowadays, ready-to-eat snacks are available in the stores, especially prepared for Navratri. In addition to this, certain restaurants in the northern parts of India would offer special menu for the people, who have observed fast on Navratri.

After seven days of fasting, people would break their fast on the eighth day - Ashtami - by worshipping young girls. The ritual of offering prasad to the young girls is called Kanchika Pujan. As per the tradition, puris (deep fried Indian bread), halwa (sweet dish made of suji) and Bengal gram curry are served to the young girls, called upon by the people who have observed fast. After seeking the blessings of the young girls (kanchikayen), the devotees would break their fast by consuming the prasad (puri, halwa and sabzi) that they have prepared for them. While this is the tradition followed by majority of people, Navratri fast is also broken on ninth day (Navami), wherein the fast is observed until Ashtami. The same procedure is followed in that case as well.