September is the month that serves as a precursor to the grand celebrations that are observed in the following months to come. Though the festive mood has already started with the Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami celebration, September sees one of the biggest festivals in India that is Ganesh Chaturthi. The festival celebrates the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha, the God of wisdom, good fortune and prosperity is worshipped all over the country. This 11 day festival begins with the installation of the beautiful Ganesha idols at home or at Mandaps and are colorfully decorated keeping in mind the religious themes and current events.
This year the festival will be celebrated on 5th of September and the staphna of the idol can be done at Amrit time or Shubh time. The Muhurat for the evening time would be considered as the Shubh time to perform the Ganesh puja. Earlier, the festival was celebrated only at homes or temples, but later on the festival started coming out and is observed in various pandals and became a public festival. Today, the festival is inspired by visuals from many Hindi films and people celebrate it all over the country.
Why Moon sighting is prohibited on Ganesha Chaturthi?
It is stated that devotees should not see the moon on the occasion of the festival as sighting moon creates Mithya Dosham. This means false accusations of stealing. According to the Puranic Legends, Lord Krishna was once accused of stealing the precious jewel, which was named Syamantaka. It is after seeing the plights of Lord Krishna that Rishi Narada informed that he had seen the moon on the day of Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi and so he has been cursed with Mitya Dosha. He then revealed that the Moon God was cursed by Lord Ganesha that anyone who saw the moon during Shukla Chaturthi of the Bhadra month would be cursed and dishonored in the society. It is on the advice of Rishi Narada that Lord Krishna started to observe Ganesh Chaturthi fasting in order to get rid of the curse.
Vinayak Chaturthi is celebrated all over the country with great enthusiasm and fervor. Here we have come up with some important temples all over the country that you can visit during the festival.
Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai: As the entire state of Maharashtra celebrates the festival with lot of passion, it is also celebrated in a grand manner in the famous Siddhivinayak temple. People from different parts of the world come to visit the temple and offer their prayers. They wait in long queues to catch a glimpse of the Lord.
Madhur Mahaganapathi Temple in Kerala: This famous temple is located on the banks of the Madhuvahini River in the North of Kerala. Kasaragod was popularly known as a Shiva temple, but according to a legend, a statue of Ganapati was brought by a Brahmin boy and after that the idol was started to be worshipped. The temple has a pond, which is believed to possess medicinal properties that can cure even rare diseases. The statue of Lord Ganapati is covered with a mixture made of sweet rice and ghee called Moodappam.
Trinetra Ganapati temple in Rajashthan: This three eyed Ganesha resides on the top of the old historic Ranthambore Fort and is said to be 1000 year old. The orange color idol is one of the oldest idols of our country and sits with the other Gods and Goddess of his family.
Shuba Siddhi Vinayaka Mandir in New Delhi: This is another famous temple in our country and the festival is also celebrated in a grand manner. Many people from all over the country and from different walks of life come to visit the temple throughout the year. The temple is also famous as people from different places send wedding cards to the god to seek his blessing. History says that the temple received the wedding invitation of Rukhmani and Lord Krishna some thousand years back.
Moti Doongri Ganesha Temple in Jaipur: This is also one of the major attractions of the pink city of Jaipur. The temple is located on a small hill and it is surrounded by a palace that was built by Seth Jai Ram Paliwal in the early 18th century. The intricate stone work of the temple makes it a must visit for the tourists and Ganesh Chaturthi is the main festival that is celebrated in this temple.
Kanipakam Vinayaka Temple in Chittoor: This beautiful temple located in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh is among the best ancient Ganapati temples of India. It is famous for its intrinsic designs and historic structure. The idol has three colors, white, yellow, and red on its forehead and the temple was built by a Chola King. People come from great distances and take a holy dip in the water of the temple to clear their sins.
Karpaga Vinayagar temple, Tamil Nadu: This temple is believed to be about 1600 years old and is one of the oldest temples in Tamil Nadu. The temple is carved out of a stone in a cave and has images of several other gods. The Ganesha idol is about six feet tall and is adorned with ornaments and jewelries. Built by the Pandya Kings, it is a popular spot that celebrates Vinayaka Chaturthi with great fervor.
During the 11 days long festival of Ganesha Chaturthi, devotees believe that a trip to any of these famous Ganapati temples is sure to bring prosperity and success in their lives. So, if you are gearing yourself up for the celebration, then start booking your tickets and visit any of these famous temples in India and make your celebration memorable.
