Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayagar in Tamil Nadu, is a Hindu festival celebrated on the occasion of the birthday of Lord Ganesha, son of Shiva and Parvati. It is the day Shiva declared his son Ganesha as superior to all the gods. Ganesha is widely worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune and traditionally invoked at the beginning of any new venture or at the start of travel.

While celebrated all over India, it is most elaborate in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Goa. Outside India, it is celebrated widely in Nepal and by Hindus in the United States, Canada, Mauritius, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma and Fiji.

Tradition tells us that Lord Ganesha was created by goddess Parvati, consort of Lord Shiva. Parvati created Ganesha 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. When Lord Shiva returned Ganesha didn't allow him to enter. Lord Shiva got enraged, severed the head of the child and entered his house. After realizing that he had beheaded his own son, Lord Shiva fixed the head of an elephant in place of Ganesha's head. In this way, Lord Ganesha came to be depicted as the elephant-headed God.

In 1893, Lokmanya Tilak transformed the annual domestic festival into a large, well-organized public event. Tilak recognized the wide appeal of the deity Ganesha as "the god for everybody", and popularized Ganesh Chaturthi as a national festival in order "to bridge the gap between 'Brahmins' and 'non-Brahmins' and find a context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them", and generate nationalistic fervour among people in Maharashtra against the British colonial rule.

The celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi starts with the installation of Ganesh statues in colorfully decorated homes and specially erected temporary mandapas (pandals). The main sweet dish prepared during the festival is the modak. A modak is a dumpling made from rice flour/wheat flour with a stuffing of fresh or dry-grated coconut, jaggery, dry fruits and some other condiments. It is either steam-cooked or fried. Another popular sweet dish is the karanji (karjikai in Kannada) which is similar to the modak in composition and taste but has a semicircular shape.

Ganesha is worshiped for 10 days from Bhadrapada Shudha Chaturthi to Ananta Chaturdashi, On the 11th day, the statue is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied with dancing, singing, and fanfare to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes of his devotees. In individual homes, the Visarjan/Nimajjanam is also done on 3rd, 5th or 7th day as per the family tradition. People join in this final procession shouting "Ganapati Bappa Morya, Pudhachya Varshi Laukar ya" (O lord Ganesha, come again early next year) in Maharashtra and "Ganesh Maharaj ki Jai" (lord Ganesha, victory is yours) in Andhra Pradesh. After the final offering of coconuts, flowers and camphor is made, people carry the idols to the river to immerse it.

Hope you have been able to discover new insights about this festival to enable you to enjoy along with those who are celebrating it. Wishing you and your family an auspicious and eco-friendly Ganeshotsav.

“Micchami Dukkadam” - (seek forgiveness) with joined hands.

Michchhāmi Dukkaḍaṃ is an ancient Prakrit phrase literally meaning — may all the evil that has been done be fruitless. It is especially used on the Forgiveness Day, celebrated on Samvatsari, the concluding day of the eight or ten day Paryushana festival, one of the main festivals of the Jain community. 

On this day, Jains request forgiveness from each other for all offences committed. The phrase is also used when a person makes a mistake, or recollects making one in everyday life, or when asking for forgiveness in advance for inadvertent ones


On the final day of Paryushan is Samvastsari Pratikraman (ritual for washing away sins). Jains seek forgiveness from all the creatures whom they may have harmed knowingly or unknowingly by uttering the phrase— Micchami Dukkadam. It means "If I have caused you offence in any way, knowingly or unknowingly, in thought, word or deed, then I seek your forgiveness". No private quarrel or dispute may be carried beyond Samvatsari, and traditionally, letters have been sent and telephone calls made to friends and relatives asking their forgiveness.

Svetambara and Digambara are two major sects of Jain religion. Shvetambars observe the ritual over 8 days and Digambars over 10 days. It takes place during the monsoon season (Chaturmas), when travelling barefoot is difficult for Jain monks and nuns; so they make themselves available to the community for instruction and guidance.

The purpose of Paryushan is to stay close to your soul, reflect on your shortcomings, seek forgiveness for wrong doings, remove internal corruption and vow to minimise mistakes. Daily meditation and prayers help one to look within and reflect on the teachings of the Tirthankaras for guidance. On the fourth day of Paryushan, it is customary to read from the Kalpasutra, a scripture which recounts the life of Lord Mahavira, the last Tirthankara. It recounts the story of his birth, life and liberation and details of the lives of other Tirthankaras and the rules of Paryushan.

Jain devotees often take time off from work during Paryushan and observe penance. Their vegetarian meals are made simpler than usual. Professionals observe fast for at least one day while those who can, do the same for all eight days.

On this auspicious occasion of Paryushan we would like to wish all our Jain friends Micchami Dukkadam.