Ganesh Chathurthi

Ganesh Chathurthi

August-September; waxing half of Hindu month of Bhadrapada

Ganesh Chathurthi is a lively seven- to ten-day long festival to worship the elephant-headed Ganesh, the Hindu god of wisdom and success. He is also the remover of obstacles, so he is also called Vighnesa, or Vighneswara. The festival is especially colorful in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, and is the best-known event in Bombay.
Everyone pays homage to huge clay images of Ganesh made by highly respected artists, and he is also propitiated with street performances, competitions, processions, and yoga demonstrations. In Bombay, at the end of the week of celebration, as sacred songs are chanted, an image is taken to the sea and immersed to ensure prosperity for both land and water.
It is said that Ganesh, the son of the gods Shiva and Parvati, so annoyed his father one day that Shiva cut off his head. But Shiva then repented, and replaced his head with that of an elephant. Today people ask for Ganesh's help in undertaking new projects.
The story behind the festival in Nepal is that the day, called Ganesh Chata, celebrates a bitter dispute between Ganesh and the moon goddess. Therefore, the Nepalese try to stay inside on this night and close out the moonlight.

CONTACTS:
Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
Rm. No 123, Transport Bhawan, No. 1, Parliament St.
New Delhi, Delhi 110 001 India
91-11-23715084; fax: 91-11-23715084
www.tourisminindia.com
Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation
Express Towers, 9th Fl.
Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 India
91-22-22024482; fax: 91-22-22024521
www.maharashtratourism.gov.in

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BkHolWrld-1986, Sep 5
DictFolkMyth-1984, p. 440
DictWrldRel-1989, p. 273
EncyRel-1987, vol. 4, p. 60
FolkWrldHol-1999, p. 511
RelHolCal-2004, p. 174