17th September 2024
Ganpati Visarjan!
Ten days after welcoming Lord Ganesha to our homes on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, devotees bid adieu to Ganesh idols on the day of Anant Chaturdashi.
Ganesh Visarjan reminds one of the cosmic cycles of creation and dissolution.
The Deity made of ‘Mitti,’ earth, returns to earth by dissolving in water.
Similarly, the mortal body goes back to its source.
The idol is immersed in water so that Ganesha may return to his home after his ‘stay’ at the devotees’ home or temple where Ganesh Chaturthi rituals are conducted.
While it may seem like a good idea to skip the visarjan & keep hosting the God in your home for fortune & prosperity, it is said that the power that suffuses the statue after 10 days of worship is all a human can bear. Hence, it is no longer ‘hosted’ and ‘returned’ to origin.
There is another interesting story behind the legend of Ganesh Visarjan.
It is believed that Lord Ganesha returns to Mount Kailash to join his parents Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati on the last day of the festival.
Ganesha, who is also known as the Lord of New Beginnings, is also worshipped as the Remover of Obstacles.
It is believed that when the idol of the Ganesha is taken out for immersion, it also takes away with it the various obstacles of the house and these obstacles are destroyed along with the visarjan.
As per historical records, the great Maratha leader Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja initiated Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Maharashtra to promote the spirit of nationalism. Salute to Lokmanya Tilak who hyped the Ganesh Festival into a major celebration to challenge the British and rebel against the Caste System.
Ganpathi Bappa Morya, Pudhachaya Varshi Laukar Ya!
Let’s celebrate the festival in the right spirit, let’s pray to Lord Ganpati to remove all obstacles and continue to shower his blessings on all of us.
Stay blessed forever.