Ganesha Utsav also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is the birthday of Lord Ganesha.It is a Hindu festival of Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati.The festival is celebrated by the Hindus all over the world, as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune.Ganesha is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival.As per the Hindu calendar the festival comes in the month of “Bhaadrapad”,ie between August and September.The festival is celebrated for 11 days, till Anant Chaturdashi.
Indian freedom fighter Lokamanya Tilak started Ganesh Chaturthi as a public festival in order to bring the people from all casts and communities together.Under Tilak’s encouragement, the festival facilitated community participation. The festval involved, intellectual discourses, poetry recitals,dramas, musical concerts, and folk dances. It served as a meeting ground for people of all castes and communities in times when, in order to exercise control over the population, the British discouraged social and political gatherings.
Tilak started worshipping of big idols of Ganesha in public halls and began the practice of immersing the idol in sea or other pools of water.Ganesh Chaturthi starts with the installation of Ganesh statues in colorfully decorated homes and pandals.Prior to Ganesh Chaturthi about 2 to 3 months,the artistic clay statues of Ganesha are made for sale by skilled artisans.They are beautifully designed & depict Lord Ganesh in various poses.
Ganesh Utsav Celebration in Maharashtra2013
Ganesh Utsav is Large Celebration in Maharashtra and Huge Celebration in Mumbai.Lalbagcha Raja also Huge Celebration.Ganesh Utsav is celebrated in almost each and every household of Maharashtra, with great faith and belief, for around ten days. During this festival, people first purchase Ganesh idols and take it to temples to offer prayer. These idols are again taken to their homes to worship for 8 to 10 days. Then it is immersed at Krishna River near Irwin Bridge.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.
Ganesh Temple at Sangli is very famous, as it was built from pink sand stone of Rajasthan by the king of the then Sangli state, Patwardhan Raje. The people of Maharashtra have great faith to Lord Ganesh. Every new task begins only after taking the blessings of the Lord. Sangli is well connected by rail and road.
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