Lord Ganesh
The Importance of Lord Ganesh in the Hindu Culture There are many gods and goddesses in the Hindu Culture, but they mainly believe in the one universal god who is known as Brahma. Yet, there are many other important figures in their religion such as the widely worshipped deity, Ganesh. He is the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Ganesh is also known as Ganapti and Vinayaka, and devotion to Ganesh is also extended to Jains, Buddhists, and beyond India. He is known to have an elephant head, which makes him easy to identify. Ganesh’s birth story is a well-recognized story in Hinduism. Once, when Lord Parvati was taking a bath, she made an image of a boy out of the cleansing paste. As she started to bathe with the paste, she infused life into it, and that was when Lord Ganesha was born. Parvati demanded that Ganesh guard the house and not allow anyone to enter. When Lord Shiva returned home, Ganesh refused to let him in as he was obediently following his mother’s rules. He told Ganesh that he was Paravati’s husband, but Ganesh refused to listen. Shiva became very furious with the little boy who dared to stop him, and cut off Ganesh’s head with his Trishula. When Lord Parvati saw her son’s lifeless body, she demanded that her husband restores Ganesh’s life. But, the Trishula was so powerful that Ganesha’s head was very far off. Brahma suggested that they replace it with the first creature they see with its head facing north. By following Brahma’s suggestion, the first creature they came across was a dying elephant and took its head, attaching it to Ganesh’s body. This act brought Ganesh back to life, and made it mandatory for all Hindus to worship him at the beginning of any activity. As he is known for being the god of beginnings, it is obligatory that Ganesh is always honoured at the start of rituals and ceremonies. Ganesh Chaturthi also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi which is a 10-day festival that celebrates Lord Ganesh’s birthday. It is celebrated all over India,
Cited: No Name. (Sept. 9, 2013). Ganesh Chaturthi 2013: Hindus Celebrate Birthday Of Lord Ganesh For Auspicious Beginnings. Huff Post Religion. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/09/ganesh-chaturthi-2013_n_3894940.html No Name. (Aug. 9, 2000). Lord Ganesha: his birth story, symbolism meaning and practice. Amma. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.amritapuri.org/3714/ Aparna Mudi. (Sept. 2, 2013). The Stories About Ganesh. Z News. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/and-more/the-stories-about-ganesh_141997.html Bhagavan Baba. (Aug. 25, 1998). Lord Ganesh. Said Arshan. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.saidarshan.org/baba/docs/ganapati.html No Name. (No Date). Ganesh Festival. Shri Ashtavinayak Yatra Online. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.ashtavinayak.net/ganeshabirth.php Nitin Kumar. (Oct. 1, 2005). Ganesha: The Elephant-Headed God. ReligionFacts. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/deities/ganesha.htm Image: No Name. (2012). Ganesha Stories. Shree Siddhi Vinayak Devstan. Retrieved October 20, 2013, from http://www.srisiddhivinayak.com/GaneshaStories.aspx Ganesh in his mother, Parvati’s, lap. In this picture, he is portrayed with four hands, which is the most common number of hands he is usually seen with.