Ganesha Chaturthi is the Hindu festival celebrated on the birthday (rebirth) of Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati.
It is believed that Lord Ganesh bestows his presence on earth for all
his devotees during this festival. It is the day Shiva declared his son
Ganesha as superior to all the gods, barring Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva and
Parvati. 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. The festival, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi ("festival of Ganesha") is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi
(fourth day of the waxing moon period). The date usually falls between
19 August and 20 September. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period).
While celebrated all over India, it is most elaborate in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Outside India, it is celebrated widely in Nepal and by Hindus in the United States, Canada, Mauritius, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Fiji, Trinidad & Tobago, and Guyana.
History
It is not known when and how Ganesh Chaturthi was first celebrated. Ganesh Chaturthi was being celebrated as a public event in Pune since the times of Shivaji (1630-1680), the founder of the Maratha Empire. The Peshwas, the de facto
hereditary administrators of the Empire from 1749 till its end in 1818,
encouraged the celebrations in their administrative seat Pune as
Ganesha was their family deity (Kuladevata).
With the fall of the Peshwas, Ganesh Chaturthi lost state patronage and
became a private family celebration again till its revival by Indian
freedom fighter and social reformer Lokmanya Tilak.
Ganesh Chaturthi-2013 is celebrating on September 6. Sutthina Banni Team Karnataka wishes to all "Happy Gowri-Ganesha Festival". Please use Eco- friendly Ganesha Idol for festival & save our environment from pollution.
Courtesy: Wikipedia
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Festivals
It is one of the biggest celebrated festivals of Pune which goes on with full passion for ten days. Thanks for sharing this with us. Tourist across the seas comes here to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi Festival and for many tourist who prefer to stay at Luxury Hotel in Pune
Thanks for Sharing this story ... Ganesha Chaturthi Special Ritual – 32 Ganesha Homam, Scheduled on September 17th, Thursday at 5.30AM - 11.30AM IST
Ganesha Chaturthi