Ganesh Jayanti (literally "Ganesha's birthday", also known as Magha shukla chaturthi, Tilkund chaturthi, and Varad chaturthi, is a
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
festival
A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival c ...
. This occasion celebrates the birth day of
Ganesha
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...
, the lord of wisdom. It is a popular festival particularly in the Indian state of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
and it is also celebrated in
Goa
Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
held during the shukla paksha
chaturthi
Chaturthi () refers to the fourth day of a lunar fortnight in the Hindu calendar.
Festivals
* Karak Chaturthi (''Karvā Chauth''): It is celebrated on ''Chaturthī'' of Krishna Paksha (waning lunar phase) of Kārtika Month as per the ''Purni ...
day (fourth day of the bright fortnight or the
waxing moon
Concerning the lunar month of ~29.53 days as viewed from Earth, the lunar phase or Moon phase is the shape of the Moon's directly sunlit portion, which can be expressed quantitatively using areas or angles, or described qualitatively using the t ...
) in the month of
Maagha as per
almanac
An almanac (also spelled ''almanack'' and ''almanach'') is an annual publication listing a set of current information about one or multiple subjects. It includes information like weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, tide tables, and othe ...
, which corresponds to the Gregorian calendar month of January/February. In 2022, Shri Ganesh Jayanti falls on 4th February.
The distinction between the Ganesh Jayanti and the more popular, almost pan-Indian
Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi (ISO: ), also known as Vinayak Chaturthi (), or Ganeshotsav () is a Hindu festival commemorating the birth of the Hindu god Ganesha. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's clay idols privately in homes and p ...
festival is that the latter festival is observed in the month of August/September (
Bhadrapada Hindu month). According to one tradition, Ganesh Chaturthi is also considered as the birthday of Ganesha.
This festival of Ganesha is also called as the Tilo Chauth or Sakat Chauthis in Uttar Pradesh, where Ganesha is invoked on behalf of the son of a family.
[ It is also called as Tilkund chaturthi in Maharashtra.
]
Legend
As per ancient customs, it is prohibited to sight the moon on Ganesha Jayanti as well as on Ganesh Chaturthi, wherein a prohibitive time period is set by the ancient almanacs. The person who sights the moon on this day, undergoes mental suffering of wrong accusations called, ''Mithya Dosha''. If by mistake, a person happens to see the moon, the following mantra is chanted:-
''Simhah Prasenamavadhitsimho Jambavata Hatah।''
''Sukumaraka Marodistava Hyesha Syamantakah॥''
As a legend narrated by Nandi to the Sanatkumara
The Kumaras are four sages ('' rishis'') from the Puranic texts of Hinduism who roam the universe as children, generally named Sanaka kumara, Sanatana kumara, Sanandana kumara and Sanat kumara. They are described as the first mind-born creat ...
sages, God Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
was charged with stealing a precious gem named ''Syamantaka'', as he saw the moon on Bhadrapad Shukla Chaturthi - which was prohibited. He observed fast on Magha Shukla Chaturthi, or Ganesh Jayanti, as advised by Devrishi Narada
Narada ( sa, नारद, ), or Narada Muni, is a sage divinity, famous in Hindu traditions as a travelling musician and storyteller, who carries news and enlightening wisdom. He is one of mind-created children of Brahma, the creator god. He ...
, and got rid of the accusation of stealing.
Observances
On the festival day, an image of Ganesha, in symbolic conical form is made out of turmeric
Turmeric () is a flowering plant, ''Curcuma longa'' (), of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, the rhizomes of which are used in cooking. The plant is a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast ...
or sindhoor
Sindooram is a traditional vermilion red or orange-red coloured cosmetic powder from the Indian subcontinent, usually worn by married women along the part of their hairline. In Hindu communities the sindoor is a visual marker of marital sta ...
powder or some times of cowdung
Cow dung, also known as cow pats, cow pies or cow manure, is the waste product (faeces) of bovine animal species. These species include domestic cattle ("cows"), bison ("buffalo"), yak, and water buffalo. Cow dung is the undigested resid ...
and worshipped. It is later immersed in water on the fourth day after the festival. A special preparation made of til (sesame
Sesame ( or ; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a flowering plant in the genus ''Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cu ...
seeds) is offered to Ganesha and then distributed to the devotees as prasad
200px, Prasad thaal offered to Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad ">Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Ahmedabad">Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad
Prasada (, Sanskrit: प्रसाद, ), Prasadam or Prasad is a religious offering in Hinduism. Most o ...
for eating. A fast is observed during worship during the day time followed by feasting in the night as a part of the rituals.[
In addition to fasting on this day, before observing the puja rites for Ganesha (also known as "Vinayaka"), devotees take bath with water mixed with til seeds, after smearing a paste made out of til (sesame) on their body. The fast observed on this day is stated to enhance the name and fame of the individual.]
Even though Ganesha is considered a celibate god in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
(in other places, he is considered as "married"), but on the occasion of the Ganesh Jayanti celebrations, couples worship him to beget a son.
On Ganesh Jayanti, devotees flock to the Moreshwar temple in Morgaon
Shri Mayureshwar Mandir ( mr, श्री मयूरेश्वर मंदीर) or Shri Moreshwar Temple ( mr, श्री मोरेश्वर मंदीर) is a Hindu temple (''mandir'') dedicated to Ganesha, god of wisdom. It i ...
, Pune district
Pune district (Marathi pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, uɳeː is the most populous district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The district's population was 9,429,408 in the 2011 census, making it the fourth most populous district amongst I ...
, Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
- in large numbers. The temple is starting and ending point of a pilgrimage of eight revered Ganesha temples called Ashtavinayaka
Ashtavinayaka ( mr, अष्टविनायक) literally means "eight Ganeshas" in Sanskrit. Ganesh is the Hinduism/Hindu deity of unity, prosperity, learning, and removing obstacles. The term refers to eight Ganeshas. Ashtavinayaka yat ...
. Legend has it that Ganesha killed demon Kamlasur at this place, riding a peacock (in Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
, a ''mayura'', in Marathi
Marathi may refer to:
*Marathi people, an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra, India
*Marathi language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people
*Palaiosouda, also known as Marathi, a small island in Greece
See also
*
* ...
- ''mora'') and thus is known as Mayureshwar or Moreshwar ("Lord of the peacock").[ Another temple on the Ashtavinayak circuit is the Siddhivinayaka temple at ]Siddhatek
Siddhatek is a town in the Ahmednagar district of the western part of India located on the Bhima River. The town is known for its temple to Sri Siddhi Vināyaka, the right-tusked incarnation of Ganesha as "Masterful Remover". Legends surrounding ...
, Ahmednagar district
Ahmednagar district (Marathi pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, ɦ(ə)məd̪nəɡəɾ is the largest districts of Maharashtra, district of Maharashtra state in western India. The historical Ahmednagar city is the headquarters of the district. ...
, Maharashtra. Large crowds visit the temple on the occasion of Ganesh Jayanti. This ancient temple located on the eastern bank of the Bhima River
The Bhima River (also known as Chandrabhaga River) is a major river in Western India and South India. It flows southeast for through Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana states, before entering the Krishna River. After the first sixty-five ki ...
- has an idol of Ganesha, seated in a crossed leg posture flanked by his consort Siddhi. The Ganesha image is adorned with saffron
Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent i ...
paste and has its trunk turned to the right, which is considered a rare depiction. Thus, it is held in deep reverence and a strict set of religious vows are observed to please the deity. Devotees take a pradakhsina (circumambulation) of the hill seven times in the rough hilly terrain to seek favour of Ganesha. Legend states that god Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
invoked the blessings of Ganesha at this venue before killing the demons Madhu-Kaitabh
Madhu ( sa, मधु, ''Madhu'') and Kaitabha ( sa, कैटभ, ''Kaiṭabha''), also rendered Madhu-Kaiṭabhas, are the names of two Asura, asuras in Hindu texts, Hindu scriptures, and are associated with Hindu cosmology.
Legend
Madhu ...
to put an end to their depredations.
On the Konkan Coast
The Konkan ( kok, कोंकण) or Kokan () is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, running from Damaon in the north to Karwar in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau in the east. The hinterland ...
, at Ganpatipule
Ganpatipule (Gaṇpatīpuḷē) is a small town located 25 km north of the city of Ratnagiri in Ratnagiri district on the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, in the sub-continent of India. The town of Chiplun is located to its north.
Etymolog ...
, a beach temple houses a swayambhu (self-manifest) idol of Ganesha, which is much venerated and visited by thousands of devotees every year. The Ganesha deified in this temple is popularly known as the ''Paschim Dwardevta'' ("Western sentinel god of India"). Ganesh Jayanti is also celebrated at this Konkan coastal temple.
Shri Aniruddha House of Friends, Mumbai, India also celebrates Maaghi Ganesh Utsav (celebrations) every year on Ganesh Jayanti. Lord Ganesh is believed to activate and operationalize eight important centres in our body representing each Ashtavinayak (8 sanctums of Lord Ganesha) for which thousands of devotees across India participate in Maaghi Ganesh Utsav and take blessings of Shree Brahmanaspati (Lord Ganesh’s name as mentioned in Rigveda) and Shree Ashtavinayak
References
{{HinduFestivals
Hindu festivals
Religious festivals in India
January observances
February observances
Ganesha
Hindu festivals in India