History about Ganesh Chaturti

Once upon a time, the Goddess Gauri (consort of Lord Shiva), while bathing, created Ganesha as a pure white being out of the mud of Her Body and placed Him at the entrance of the house. She told Him not to allow anyone to enter while she went inside for a bath. Lord Shiva Himself was returning home quite thirsty and was stopped by Ganesha at the gate. Shiva became angry and cut off Ganesha's head as He thought Ganesha was an outsider.

When Gauri came to know of this she was sorely grieved. To console her grief, Shiva ordered His servants to cut off and bring to Him the head of any creature that might be sleeping with its head facing north. The servants went on their mission and found only an elephant in that position. The sacrifice was thus made and the elephant's head was brought before Shiva. The Lord then joined the elephant's head onto the body of Ganesha. (It is also said that this is the reason why one should not sleep facing north)

Lord Shiva made His son worthy of worship at the beginning of all undertakings, marriages, expeditions, studies, etc. He ordained that the annual worship of Ganesha should take place on the 4th day of the bright half of Bhadrapada.

Ritual

• On the day of the festival, a life-like clay model of Lord Ganesha is placed on raised platforms in homes (preferably on Uncooked Rice) and elaborately decorated with Flowers, Ornaments .etc.
• In countries where clay model of Lord Ganesha is not available, Silver or Gold or Bronze Idol of Ganesha can be used.
• The devotees or priest, usually clad in red silk dhoti and shawl (or dressed in clean white cloth), then invokes life into the idol amidst the chanting of mantras. This ritual is the pranapratishhtha.
• Procedures: Use the Silver or Gold or Bronze Ganapathi Idol for procedures
• Recite “Ganesha Moola Mantra”

“Om Gum Ganapataye Namah.”

• Recite “Ganesha Vedic Mantra”

Om Vakratundaya Vidmahe

Vighnarajaya Dheemahi

Tanno Danti Prachodayat.

• Recite “Ganesha Stotra” and Place Silver or Gold Ganapathi Idol on raised platforms, preferably seated on uncooked rice

Suklambaradaram Vishnum Sasivarnam

Chathurbhujam Prasannavadanam

Dhyayet Sarva Vugnopashantayet. 
Shree Mahaganapathim Dhyayami.

Avahayame.

Mahaganapataye namah.

Asanam samarpayami

• Offer clean water into a bowl, reciting

Padyam samarpayami.

• Take water in your right hand and offer in a bowl, reciting

Arghyam samarpayami

• Do Achamaneeyam (OM Kesavaya Swaha .etc.), and recite

Achamaneeyam samarpayami

• Bathe Ganapathi Idol with Sugar, Ghee, Honey, Banana, Milk, Curds, Saffron, and recite

Madhuparkam samarpayami

• Bathe Ganapathi with Water, clean Ganapathi with clean water, dry with clean cloth and situate the Ganapathi Idol in place of worship, and recite

Snanam samarpayami

• Do Achamaneeyam (OM Kesavaya Swaha .etc.), and recite

Achamaneeyam samarpayami

• Decorate Silver or Gold Ganapathi Idol with flowers, ornaments, Kumkum, sandal wood paste .etc. and light Ghee Lamp, and recite

Vastralamkaram samarpayami

• Offer Sacred thread or janivara to Ganapathi, you may consider reciting Gayatri Mantra for 10 times and putting the Janivara from left shoulder-to-right waist, and recite

Yegyopaveetham samarpayami

• Offer Sandalwood paste to Ganapathi, and recite

 Gandham dharayami

• Invoke Ganapathi by Reciting:

Om Sumukhaya namah
Om Ekadantaya namah 
Om Kapilaya namah 
Om Gajakarnikaya namah 
Om Lambodaraya namah 
Om Vikataya namah 
Om Vignarajaya namah 
Om Vinayakaya namah 
Om Dhumaketave namah 
Om Ganadhyakshaya namah 
Om Phalachandraya namah
Om Gajananaya namah 
Om Vakratundaya namah 
Om Surpakarnaya namah 
Om Herambaya namah 
Om Skandapoorvajaya namah 
Om Mahaganapate namah  

• Offer Flowers, Leaves, Tender Grass, reciting the payers:

Nanavidha parimala patra pushpani samarpayami.

• Offer Flowers, Kumkum and Bow to him reciting:

Om Ganapataye namah.

Mahaganapati sripadukayam poojayami tarpayami namah.

Om Ganapataye namah.

Mahaganapati sripadukayam poojayami tarpayami namah.

Om Ganapataye namah.

Mahaganapati sripadukayam poojayami tarpayami namah.

• Light Ghee Lamp and offer to Ganapathi.

Mahaganapataye namah dhupam agrapayami,

deepam darsayami,

• Worship with Agarbatthi, Camphor, and offer Fruits, Modaka and other edible offerings

nivedyam samarpayami

• Offer Water in a bowl, Do Namaskara, Offer Beetle Leaves and Beetle Leaves.

Madya madya paniyam, uttaraposhanam, hasta prakshalanam,

pada prakshalanam, achamaneeyam, tambulancha samarpayami.

• Light Camphor and offer it to Ganapathi

Karpura Neerajanam darsayami. 

• Pray Ganapathi

Om Tatpurushaya vidmahay

Vakratunadaya dheemahi

tannodanti prachodayat.

• Offer Uncooked colored rice (Mantrashita) to Ganapathi

Mahaganapataye namah. 
Mantrapushpam samarpayami. 

• Stand-up and do Namaskara by going around yourself three times and recite

Pradikshana namaskaram samarpayami.

Samasta rajopachara,

devopacharan samarpayami. 

• Recite:

Anaya poojaya bhagavan

sarva devatmaka

sree ganapati supreeta

suprasanno varado bhavatu.

• This concludes “Ganesha Pooja”
• If desired recite “Ganesha Gayatri Mantra.”

Tat purushaaya vidmahe

Vakratundaaya dheemahi

Tanno dhanti prachodayaat

• If desired recite or hear “Ganesha Sahsaranamam”
• If desired recite or hear “Ganesha Astottara Shatanamavali”
• If desired Vedic hymns from the Rig Veda and Ganapati Atharva Shirsha Upanishad, and Ganesha stotra from the Narada Purana are chanted.
• Depending on convenience from 1 day to 10 days (that is from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to the Ananta Chaturdashi), Ganesha is worshipped and “Ganesha Pooja” is performed.
• On the end of 1^st day or 11th day, the Clay Ganesha Idol is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied with dancing, singing, to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes of all man.
• In Developed Countries such as USA, where law does not permit immersion in rivers or lakes. The clay idol is immersed in a small bucket filled with water and the water is later offered to plants and trees.
• During immersion devotees chant:

Ganpati Bapa Moriya - Farewell O Lord Ganpati!

Gheema ladu choriya - Who avails 'ladus' soaked in ghee
Pudcha varsi laukariya - Return in haste next year.

Bapa Moriya re, Bapa Moriya re - O Lord farewell, O Lord farewell…  

Note: DO NOT look at the moon on Ganesh Chaturti; remember that it behaved unbecomingly towards the Lord. This really means avoid the company of all those who have no faith in God, and who deride God, your Guru and religion, from this very day. By accident if you did, then read or hear the story of “Shamantaka Mani” just before you get to bed.

Historical Significance

The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated across the world. Started by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja, the great Maratha ruler, to promote culture and nationalism, the festival was revived by Lokmanya Tilak (a freedom fighter) to spread the message of freedom struggle and to defy the British who had banned public assemblies. The festival gave the Indians a feeling of unity and revived their patriotic spirit and faith. This public festival formed the background for political leaders who delivered speeches to inspire people against the Western rule. The festival is so popular that the preparations begin months in advance.