Ganesh Chatturthi

The president of Gods is called Ganapathi or Ganesh. The word "Ganesh" is the symbol of Brahma or Omkar. Therefore, as all the vedic mantras are enchanted with the word 'Om' at the beginning, all the ritualistic pujas are performed with homage to Lord Ganesh at the onset. It is believed that in doing so, all hurdles and impediments that one is likely to face, will be removed and a smooth completion of the puja will follow.

As all the days of the week are associated with different planets, so are all the tithis. They are associated with different godly objects or natural objects such as Parewa Tithi, the first day of the month, is associated with aagni (i.e. fire), the second day of the month with Brahma, third
day with Gauri, fourth with Ganesh and so on.

The scripture lays special importance on Ganesh Chathurthi, which is celebrated as a festival on a full moon day in the month of September. On this day, the devotees of Ganesh clean themselves early in the morning and worship Lord Ganesh, with the firm belief that in doing so, they would be able to control their mind and avert themselves from committing anything that is considered sinful.

Looking at the moon of Chathurthi is prohibited by religion. It is believed that if done so, there would be every possibility of getting into false implications and unfounded allegations. Therefore, in order to avoid serious implications and allegations of greater magnitude in future, the viewers of the Chathurthi moon, either knowingly or unknowingly, go on a rampage in the fields of their neighbours, destroying crops and chopping banana trunks which they believe are minor allegations enough to curtail "serious and grave ones" in the future.

On Vadra Sukla Chathurthi, the sun's black spotted part which contains carbon dioxide and which is thought to emit death rays upon the earth, stimulates evil thoughts and impels doing evil deeds. But on the other hand, the scripture explains that only the effect of sani can generate such an adverse feeling upon the earth, and forwards a legend to explain this effect.

Out of the scented perfume and sandal from the body of Parvati, a cute and handsome baby was born. All the Devagans (gods) came to see the baby, except Sani. Parvati thought that because of Sani's ugliness and dark colour, he might not have come to see the baby. So Parvati insisted Sani to come to see the newly born baby, although Sani told Parvati that something adverse would befall upon the child if he saw him, but this could not make Parvati understand. So Sani came to see the child and cast his unfavourable effect upon the baby, which afterwards yielded in bad results.

Parvati was bathing inside leaving Ganesh with strict instructions, who was kept at the door, not to let anyone inside the house without her permission. All of a sudden Lord Shiva appeared, and tried to enter the room. As-instructed by Parvati, Ganesh refused his entry into the room. Lord Shiva got so infuriated at this, that he chopped off Ganesh's head in his fits of anger. Although Lord Shiva reinstated the head of Ganesh, with the head of the first animal that he met on the way, and luckily it was an elephant, this could not make Parvati happy and satisfied, because although Ganesh got back a substitute head, his beauty was gone for ever. This incident proved that Sani in reality, casts evil and unfavourable effects upon everyone and everything he sets his eyes upon.

Seeing such a wonderful head of an elephant on the body of a human being, the beautiful moon once made fun of Ganesh and laughed at him. Ganesh, who took this humiliation seriously, spelt a curse upon the moon. As a result, the moon lost its glow and became dark and dull, and became very unpleasant to look at. This was too severe a curse upon the beautiful moon, so then the repenting moon approached Ganesh for recantation of his curse upon her, Ganesh agreed to relent his curse and wished the moon with the gift for regaining its full glow, gradually and only twice a month. This incident indirectly teaches us not to boast of anything.

Vadra Sukla Chathurthi is a cursed day, in which the sun's evil effect on the moon is at its highest. Therefore, it is prohibited to look at the moon, and looking at such an affected moon is definite to affect the brain and the mind of a man adversely, which in turn, may propel a man into committing sinful, ungracious acts of offence. That is why, those who dare not face consequences, restore to rampage and commit minor offence, by destroying crops and harvests of others. These activities are treated as mock offences and are pardonable by the community.

The time is determined by the movement of the sun. The other planets, are helpers, but the moon, being nearest to the earth, is the main helper to the sun. The importance of time on earth is immeasurable. It is the determining factor and decision on what is to be kept on Earth, and what is to be changed.

All festivals and customs are based upon the movements of the sun, which always moves and changes its position in relation to the earth and other planets of the universe.