1. Ganesh Chaturthi was initiated by Lokmanya TilakIt was popularized as a mass celebration by Lokmanya Tilak in the year 1893. His striving efforts were able to transform an annual domestic festival into a well organized public event in an attempt to bring people from all sectors together. And what a celebration it has become! Ganpati has become a household name ever since. His popularity only amplified with the celebration of this festival.
2. Lord Ganesha was created by Parvati from sandalwood paste she used for her baths.Parvati created Lord Ganesha as an idol from sandalwood paste to which she later gave life. When, Shiva was stopped by Ganesha and not allowed to see his wife, in anger he beheaded Lord Ganesha. After knowing the truth, Shiva demanded to bring the head of the first sleeping animal that they would find. And no guesses which animal that was!
3. The Curse of the MoonIt is said that whoever looks at the moon on Ganesh chaturthi, knowing or unknowingly will be cursed and will attract scandals and problems. The fable says that when the Lord of the stars, Chandra made fun of lord ganesha’s belly and laughed at him, ganesha got upset and put a curse on him. Hence, the legend goes that one must not look at the moon during this day. Beware!
4. Two or Four hands?Ganesha figures with more than two hands are considered auspicious, while one with only two hands is a taboo. Hence, you will see Ganesha idols with four, six, eight, ten, and twelve and sometimes with fourteen hands!
5. The symbolismLord Ganesha’s physical attributes are considered to be highly symbolic. Although his poses in different structures might change, he is most commonly seen in the Abhaya pose, holding a modak, his favourite sweet which also symbolizes the sweetness of the inner self. On the other hand the pot belly is symbolic of his joyful nature and also how he protects us by swallowing all the sorrows in the world. According to researches, there are around 57 symbols in all!
6. The tallest Ganesh IdolThe 66-feet Chinmaya Ganadhish idol in Kolhapur is at present considered to be the tallest Ganesha idol in the world. The idol sits on 24-feet Dhyana Nilayam (raised platform). Thus the statue is 90 feet from the ground level.
7. Modak, Lord Ganesha’s favourite sweet is highly prepared during this festival. Modak, literally refers to something that brings joy 8. The Many Names of Lord GaneshaAlthough Lord Ganesha is referred to as “Vigana Harta” (removal of all obstacles) and “Buddhi Pradayaka” (One that bestows wisdom and knowledge) amongst the most commonly used are Ganpati and Ganesha. There are around 108 different names of Lord Ganesha. How many do you know?
9. Myth behind the broken tuskEver wondered why Lord Ganesha has a broken tusk? Although there are many myths about the broken tooth, the one that is mostly commonly accepted of is that of Parshurama. When parshuram (Vishnu’s avatar) had gone to pay a visit to Lord Shiva, he was blocked by ganesha. Parashurama in anger hurled an axe, that ganesha knew was given by Shiva himself, and allowed it to hit him out of respect for Shiva. Thus, resulting in a broken tusk. Do you believe in some other myth?
10. Is Ganesha Bal Brahmachari or not?While some believe Ganesha was a bal brahmachari, some others believe he had two wives, Riddhi (wealth and prosperity) and Siddhi (intellect and wisdom). These wives are believed to be created by Brahma as a plea to Lord Ganesha not having a wife, while other Gods had more than one deity.
11. The Famous Lal Baugcha RajaOne of the most popular mandals is the Lal Baugcha raja in Mumbai. People from across the country come to have a glance of the Idol that they create. People are excited to know of the vastness of the idol they create. This visual spectacle draws an average of 1.5 million people a day! It is believed to be very auspicious and also to fulfill people’s wishes.
12. In the year 2010, in Vishakhapatnam, two Ganpati Idols measuring at 76ft were doused with hoses as it was too big to be immersed during the Visarjan time 13. The meaning of the name 'Ganesha'The name Ganesha invokes a sense of happiness, purity and abundance. In Sanskrit, the word Gana-means multitude or in number and esa – means master or lord. The name Ganesha literally means the “Master of Many”. And not to our surprises, he truly is!