Ganeshotsava is the biggest festival celebrated in Maharashtra today.
It is a 10-day long festival in which the entire Hindu society is swept by the wave of bhakti towards their beloved god - Ganesha, the god of wisdom, the god who rescues you from troubles (विघ्नहर्ता- vighnaharta), the god who bestows happiness on you (सुखकर्ता - sukhakarta)
The festival starting today, the fourth day of new moon of the sixth month of Hindu lunar calendar (भाद्रपद शुद्ध चतुर्थी - bhadrapada shuddha chaturthi) assumed this form since 1893, when Lokamanya Tilak made a revolution by transforming this private Hindu festival into a public national festival.
The religion part of Hindu Dharma has always been a personal affair - restricted to the devotee and the divine. But the need of the hour was that the whole populace come together to fight the Britishers. How was this to be achieved in a country like India, where people are so religious ? "Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav" and "Shivajayanti" was Tilakji's answer. This was probably the first attempt to organize the Hindus in the modern history.
Today, Ganeshotsava is known as the festival of Maharashtra, but is celebrated all over the world. May be the fact that Ganesha has been worshiped beyond India since long, has helped this festival become global.
The Ganeshotsava is a huge economic system in itself.
Thousands of craftsmen, electricians, carpenters, sound-system-wallas, and many other daily-wage workers consider this festival as their harvesting time of the year. In the short span of 15-20 days, they earn equivalent of what they would during 3-4 months of regular work.
Ganesha comes as the god of prosperity for them.
This also tells us how religion is related to a common man's life - not only in a spiritual manner, but also in a materialistic one.
Well, there's actually a lot one can say about Ganeshotsava, but this much, I guess, is enough for now.
So may the god of wisdom bless you.
Let's take a look at the symbolism in the idol of Ganesha before we depart:
It is a 10-day long festival in which the entire Hindu society is swept by the wave of bhakti towards their beloved god - Ganesha, the god of wisdom, the god who rescues you from troubles (विघ्नहर्ता- vighnaharta), the god who bestows happiness on you (सुखकर्ता - sukhakarta)
The festival starting today, the fourth day of new moon of the sixth month of Hindu lunar calendar (भाद्रपद शुद्ध चतुर्थी - bhadrapada shuddha chaturthi) assumed this form since 1893, when Lokamanya Tilak made a revolution by transforming this private Hindu festival into a public national festival.
The religion part of Hindu Dharma has always been a personal affair - restricted to the devotee and the divine. But the need of the hour was that the whole populace come together to fight the Britishers. How was this to be achieved in a country like India, where people are so religious ? "Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav" and "Shivajayanti" was Tilakji's answer. This was probably the first attempt to organize the Hindus in the modern history.
Today, Ganeshotsava is known as the festival of Maharashtra, but is celebrated all over the world. May be the fact that Ganesha has been worshiped beyond India since long, has helped this festival become global.
The Ganeshotsava is a huge economic system in itself.
Thousands of craftsmen, electricians, carpenters, sound-system-wallas, and many other daily-wage workers consider this festival as their harvesting time of the year. In the short span of 15-20 days, they earn equivalent of what they would during 3-4 months of regular work.
Ganesha comes as the god of prosperity for them.
This also tells us how religion is related to a common man's life - not only in a spiritual manner, but also in a materialistic one.
Well, there's actually a lot one can say about Ganeshotsava, but this much, I guess, is enough for now.
So may the god of wisdom bless you.
Let's take a look at the symbolism in the idol of Ganesha before we depart:
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