Sri Ganesha

Lord Ganesha

Ganesha, also known as Ganapathi, Vinayaka and Vighneshwara, is one of the best-known and most widely worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon.  He is believed to be the remover of obstacles, though traditionally he also places obstacles in the path of those who need to be checked. He is more generally known  as Lord of Beginnings. Devotion to Ganesha is widely diffused and extends among Jains and Buddhists as well.  Ganesha is revered as the son of the Universal Parents - Shiva and Parvathi - and is given the first honour  in all worship services and rituals.  Ganesha is worshipped on all religious and social occasions; especially at the beginning of ventures and invoked as Patron of Letters during writing sessions. The worship of Ganesha is considered complementary with the worship of other deities. Hindus of all sects begin prayers with an invocation of Ganesha ‘Om Shree Ganeshaya Namaha’.

Ganesha has an elephantine countenance with a curved trunk, big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being. A unique combination of his elephant-like head and a quick moving tiny mouse vehicle represents tremendous wisdom, intellegence and presence of mind.

Lord Ganesha’s birthday is known as Ganesha Chaturthi. The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the Shukla Chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period).