Significance of Lord Ganesha

Amongst Hindu Gods , Lord Ganesha enjoys a very very peculiar & unique position . He is to be worshipped and revered first . If that is not done , other rituals / worships will not be fruitful . This is the boon given to Lord Ganesha by Supreme Lord Siva so let us revere at His holy feet for success , wealth & wisdom. That way also , His blessings are unique as money without discretion leads to disaster but Lord Ganesha makes the wealth enjoyable.

All Poojas and rituals begin with an invocation to Lord Ganpati, an honor which was bestowed upon Lord Ganesha by his father, Lord Shiva.

Ganesh’s holy day every week is Tuesday! all sadhannas and rituals associated with Ganesh should begin on this day.

Ganesha Chaturthi, the great Ganesha festival, also known as ‘Vinayak Chaturthi’ or ‘Vinayaka Chavithi’ is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. It is observed during the Hindu month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September) and the grandest and most elaborate of them, especially in the western India state of Maharashtra, lasts for 10 days, ending on the day of ‘Ananta Chaturdashi’.

Ganesh Jayanti (literally “Ganesha’s birthday”), also known as Magha shukla chaturthi, Tilkund chaturthi,”Vinayak Chaturthi” and Varad chaturthi, is a Hindu festival. This occasion celebrates the birth day of Ganesha, the lord of wisdom.[1] It is a popular festival particularly in the Indian state of Maharashtra held during the shukla paksha chaturthi day (fourth day of the bright fortnight or the waxing moon) in the month of Maagha as per almanac, which corresponds to the Gregorian calendar month of January/February. The distinction between the Ganesh Jayanti and the more popular, almost pan-Indian Ganesh Chaturthi festival is that the latter festival is observed in the month of August/September (Bhadrapada Hindu month). According to one tradition, Ganesh Chaturthi is also considered as the birthday of Ganesha.[2][3] This festival of Ganesha is also called as the Tilo Chauth or Sakat Chauthis in Uttar Pradesh, where Ganesha is invoked on behalf of the son of a family.[3] It is also called as Tilkund chaturthi in Maharashtra.

According to Hindu lunar calendar, there are two Chaturthi Tithis in every month. The days of Chaturthi are dedicated to Lord Ganesha. The Chaturthi that falls after Amavasya or new moon during Shukla Paksha is observed as “Vinayaki” or “Vinayaka Chaturthi” and the one after Purnima or full moon during Krishna Paksha is observed as “Sankashti Chaturthi”. In other terms, every fourth day (chaturthi) of the bright fortnight in every lunar month is Vinayaki Chaturthi and that of the dark fortnight is Sankashti Chaturthi.

Although Vinayaka Chaturthi Vratam/ fasting is done every month but the most significant Vinayaki Chaturthi falls in month of Bhadrapada. Vinayaki Chaturthi that falls during the month of Bhadrapada is known as “Ganesha Chaturthi” and is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha throughout the world.

Ganesha is offered all sorts of sacred flowers, fruits and sweets in worship but not the Tulsi leaves, the sacred basil. Tulsi is very much venerated by Hindus, specially the Vaishnavas, but it is not offered to Ganesha because of a curse

Tulsi (an herb from the basil family) was a beautiful maiden who, when she saw the resplendent Ganesha, fell in love with him and wished to marry him. Ganesha though, was a confirmed bachelor (at least according to some legends) and refused to oblige her. The enraged Tulsi cursed him that one day, he would indeed break his vow of celibacy. Ganesha cursed her in return, that she would marry a demon and later, turn into a plant.

Tulsi realized her folly and pleaded for mercy until Ganesha relented. “You will be the most fragrant plant of all”, he said, “one that will please all the gods. Your leaves will be used especially in the worship of Vishnu. But you will never be present where I am worshiped.

How to find the Hindu auspicious dates

The well-known Indian Religious Calendar Kalnirnay, is the best source to check out all the auspicious dates in Hinduism. It is available in English, Hindi an all major Indian regional languages.