Ganesh Chaturthi is one of India’s most favourite festivals. The grandeur and happiness of installing a brand new Ganesha idol at homes or at public places, worshipping it for a few days and then immersing the idol in flowing water is absolutely unmatched. However, have you ever wondered why we make Ganesha idols to be worshipped for a few days specifically during Ganesh Chaturthi? Idol worship is a very common and significant part of Hinduism, but no other deity is created and immersed in water for a specific span of time other than Lord Ganesha.
Why so? The reasons are multifold.
We all have grown up learning the story of Ganesha’s birth. Maa Parvati created him out of clay, and some specks of dirt from her own body. She then gave life to the idol and asked him to stand guard as she went in to bathe. Lord Shiva, unaware that Ganesha was created by his wife and was accepted as her son, gets enraged when he is stopped by him and ends up killing him. On discovering this, Maa Parvati lashes out at Lord Shiva for killing their son and demands that he brings him back alive. Lord Shiva sends his men to find Ganesha a spare head (of someone who was asleep facing the North direction) and thus the elephant headed Lord Ganesha came into existence.
In honour of his creation by Maa Parvati, we all create idols of Ganesha using clay every year on Ganesha Chaturthi. The endearing figure of the elephant headed lord who is rather fat because he loves to eat, makes for a worthwhile experience while bringing alive through clay. He was the only deity who was birthed from earthly elements – and that’s why we recreate that every year.
Why dip him in water after the ceremony?
The grand act of ‘Visarjan’ or dipping the idol in flowing water after the worship is also an integral part of Ganesh Chaturthi. In fact, Visarjan is often grander than the process of installation. This act is rooted in the principle of Hinduism which states that ‘everything always returns to its source’. The ritual symbolizes that nothing is eternal, and humans must be capable of letting go of what’s dear to them when the time comes. It’s a powerful reminder of the temporary nature of our physical existence and the eternal nature of the divine.
Also, Lord Ganesha is an incredibly beloved deity. Creating clay idols of him, bringing him home, celebrating him for a few days and bidding him farewell is a highly personal, deeply enriching process. We all await Ganesh Chaturthi because it feels like bringing God home, and there is an aura of divinity that brings togetherness and accomplishment. Lord Ganesha is addressed as ‘Bappa’ which means a fatherly figure. He’s that guest that everyone loves having at home. We can’t be grateful enough for the enrichment he brings into our lives with his arrival.
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