Vinayaka Chavithi or
Ganesha Chaturthi is celebrated as God Vinayaka’s Birthday. It is on 4th day of
‘Bhadrapada masa’ as per Telugu
calendar. This is usually in the month of September, occasionally it may be in the last week of August as we have it this year. This is one of the three festivals celebrated across India among all castes on the same day. This festival comes in the rainy season. This is the festival which the national leader – freedom fighter, Bala Gangadhar Tilak used to unite and consolidate all the castes of Hindus to come under one umbrella to fight against the British rulers. He made it a public festival, putting up the idol in decorated pandal and carrying on social and cultural activities for 10days and the immersing the idol in waters. Initially it was started in Maharashtra. Later it spread to all parts of India.
Vinayaka’s birthday is celebrated with great piety and pompous. Vinayaka is the god who is invoked or prayed first when any puja is performed or prior to carrying out any venture. He is the god who prevents obstacles in the course of any work. There are many stories in Indian mythology regarding the birth of Vinayaka and his becoming the leader of all deities. There may be a little variation of stories but the essence they convey is same.
Vinayaka is made out of the paste of sandal wood and turmeric ( sort facial pack – paste applied to the body and removed ) which goddess Parvathi applied to her body and removed it before taking bath. With the removed paste she made a doll of small boy and infused life into it. She made the boy to guard against the entry of any person until she takes bath and ready to receive
her consort God Shiva. Strictly following his creator Mother’s instructions the little boy refused the entry of Shiva not knowing who he is or his relation to Mother. Infuriated with this Shiva severed the head of Vinayaka and entered in and met Parvathi. Knowing about the fate of Vinayaka she pleaded Shiva to make him alive again. So Shiva had got the head of his devotee Gajasura – the elephant head and got it attached to the lifeless trunk of Vinayaka and resurrected him.
The next important event is Vinayaka winning over his sibling God Subramanyeshwara, the son of Shiva and Parvathi. Subramanyeshwara is good looking, agile and had beautiful peacock as his vehicle. When it was time to declare the leader of deities there was competition who should become leader. Whether it should be short and stout Vinayaka who looks awkward with his elephant face and has a little rat as his vehicle or smart Subrmaneshwara. Vinayaka with his intelligence and devotion to Mother and Father
(Prakruti and
Purusha) wins the competition and will be crowned as leader of all deities and declared that before any venture by anybody God Vinayaka should first be invoked and prayed. Other wise people will suffer Obstacles in their ventures.
Here I had a doubt. Does any ‘God’ hold animosity against lesser mortals for they fail to pray him. I feel a strong ‘
NO’. But why this has come into vogue about Vinayaka. I think because it his story which is inspiration for anybody who want to achieve something in life. When the desire is strong and devotion is there to follow and move in conformity with
nature there will be success. Here I regard Mother Parvathi is
Prakruthi or
Nature. God Shiva – Father is
Purusha the
Energy in the Universe. The manifest and unmanifest energy of Universe. Nature can create any great thing even from the dust which to our eyes may look insignificant. Initially Vinayaka doll was made out of useless paste. Mother has capacity to inspire it to do great job by infusing life into it. Any life whatever its appearance is has its worth on this Universe. Devotion to Mother Nature helps in living long. Mother Nature takes care of her children who abide by her ruling. Though severed by father he was resurrected with the head of great devotee of
Purusha – the Universal energy which is neither created nor destroyed. That itself is great survival. Leaving the life created by mother, and getting resurrected by father, Vinayaka now belonged to both physically and mentally. This is devotion to Almighty in its Unity. So what ever we are if we abide by Nature’s rule success will definitely come.
The other fact is winning over Subramanyeshwara. Here again, devotion to Almighty is shown. Subramanyeshwara had faith in his capabilities, his individual strength. But Vinayaka whose consorts are
buddhi (knowledge) and
siddhi (achievement –gain) used his intelligence and bowed to Mother and Father and prayed for their help in carrying out the said object of traveling around the world and dipping into all sacred rivers. It is said that there is everything inside us or within us. If the Universe is macrocosm, every being is microcosm. Realization of self (
atman) is realization of Almighty – God (
Paramatman). Ganesha who is god of knowledge has realization. He being the microcosm,
knows to manifest himself in the macrocosm- everywhere in the Universe. This is the principle which Vinayaka applied and won over his sibling. There are many ways to achieve things. The surest way is to have knowledge –
buddhi which will lead to
siddhi – achievement.
Whatever we are, whatever is our birth, gaining knowledge and understanding Nature will help us move forward in life. Our origin, appearance and any draw back can be overcome by devotion and hard work.
Shraddha (perseverance or devotion) in gaining buddhi will result in siddhi and make us the leaders.
'Nirvignam Kurme Deva Sarvakaleshu sarvada.' ( Oh God! Remove all obstacles always and all the time).
25 grams poppy seeds
the wheat talikalu and allow them to get cooked. Add some ghee and stir. Add little water to poppy powder to make thick liquid. Add the remaining rice flour to this. Add this liquid to the cooking talikalu. As it is getting cooked, stir frequently to avoid any lumping. Also add powdered cardamom. After it is cooked remove it and transfer into another vessel smeared with ghee. Hot or cold pasham is sweet and delicious.
Kudumulu:
steam for about 15 minutes. These can be eaten bland as such or with chutney or any sauce. These are bland (chappidi undrallu)
