KAUAI, HI, USA, August 31, 2011 (Hinduism Today): Ganesha Chaturthi, the festival honoring the God of Obstacles and Lord of Dharma, was celebrated by Hindus all over the world.
During Ganesha Chaturthi, a ten-day festival in August/September, elaborate puja ceremonies are held in Hindu temples around the world honoring Ganesha, the benevolent, elephant-faced Lord of Obstacles. In millions of home shrines, worship is also offered to a clay image of Ganesha that the family makes or obtains. At the end of ten days, Hindus join in a grand parade, called visarjana in Sanskrit, to a river, temple tank, lake or seashore, where His image is ceremonially immersed, symbolizing Ganesha’s merging into universal consciousness.
Perennially happy, playful, unperturbed and wise, this rotund Deity removes obstacles to good endeavors and obstructs negative ventures, thus guiding and protecting the lives of devotees. He is the patron of art and science, the God inhabiting all entryways, the gatekeeper who blesses all beginnings. When initiating anything–whether learning, business, weddings, travel, building and more–Hindus seek His grace for success. He is undoubtedly the most endearing, popular and widely worshiped of all the Hindu Deities. Ganesha Chaturthi (also called Vinayaka Chaturthi) falls on the fourth day in the wax- ing fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada in the sacred Hindu lunar calendar, which trans- lates to a certain day in August-September. It is essentially a birthday celebrating Ganesha’s divine appearance.
To know more about this festival (or about Lord Ganesha), see the Festivals feature of Hinduism Today here.