GANAPATHY FESTIVAL The beloved Elephant-faced deity Ganesh Chathurthi Ganesha festival Vinayaka Chaturthi Celebrated on Bhadrapada Shukla

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL God of Wisdom Prosperity and Fortune Festival falls in August-September Son of Shiva-Parvathi Celebrated all over India…more in Maharastra/Karnataka/Andhra Pradesh/Goa/Tamil Nadu/Gujrath

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL Lord Ganesh is the First God invoked in all Hindu rituals. Called Vigneshwara or Vinayaka Ganesh Chaturthi is the birthday of Lord ganesh He is the Chief of all Gana-isha ’General’

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL The festival lasts for over days Huge idols of Ganapathy are made out of clay and kept at public areas Several mythological stories of Ganesh How did he get an Elephant head

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL His vehicle is Mooshak or rat He loves modak a specialty of the festival The festival started by Shivaji the Maratha Ruler for Culture and Nationalization Later it was revived during independence by Loka Manya Tilak during English

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL On the day of Festival elaborate decorations are made home and public places Some times the making of Ganapathy Idol starts long before the Festival Final day of procession

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL On Ganapathi festival the Idol of Lord Ganesha is installed and invoked. Pooja ritual is completed with all the pooja articles Specially made food is offered for his blessings

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL Story of Ganapathy… Parvathi-Shiva’s son…The name Ganpathy is given by Shiva after breathing life into him Has only one Tusk…called Ekadantha The other Tusk half broaken

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL Four hands of Ganesh signify Divinity There are Ganesh’s Idols depicted up to 14 hands. Each hand carrying symbol which differs from the symbol of other hand

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL There are 57 symbols in all according to research findings One hand is always shown as symbol of protection & refuge…Abhayahastha The second hand with Modaka is the sweetness of the realized inner self

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL In the two hands which are behind he often holds an ankusha (elephant goad) and pasha a noose The noose is to convey the worldly attachments/desires The goad to prod to path of righteousness

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL With the goad Ganesh can strike and repel obstacles Pot belly signify the bounty nature and big mouth to swallow sorrows to protect Ganesh has 4 animals in the picture…man-elephant-snake-mouse

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL This symbolizes collectively the striving towards integration with nature And coexistence harmony and symbiosis The elephant head is symbol of auspiciousness/strength/intellectual power

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL The elephant is the largest and the strongest animal Yet is gentle and amazingly vegetarian and does not kill to eat Loyal affectionate to the keeper

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL Loving and forgiving but at the same time can destroy when provoked – one Large head of Ganesh is symbolic of wisdom The big ears hear all retain only good

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL The trunk is symbolic of discrimination – viveka an important quality for spiritual progress It can push massive trees/logs or can pick small blades of grass/coconut whole

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL Two legends related to the broken tusk…Parashurama story..Vyasa’s Ramayana story writing The little mouse Ganesh sits to travel is a special feature of iconography

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL A lord of wisdom so huge on a obsequious mouse Implies that mouse escapes to unthinkable places compared to wandering wayward mind controlled by the intellect

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL Story of Ganesh and Moon Why does the snake is used as a belt.. Story of Siddi and buddi..two daughters of Lord Bramha Dymys

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL JHkJB5g0P0&feature=related JHkJB5g0P0&feature=related E8AXI E8AXI

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL Swastika the emblem of Lord Ganesh Derived from Sanskrit meaning conducive to well being Su meaning Well and Asti mean to be The symbol has been used in several cultures

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL Hindu Swastika has dot in the squares Symbol of good luck Also the symbol of Ganapathy

GANAPATHY FESTIVAL