Ganesh Chaturthi - Story

Ganesha Chaturthi Vrat Katha

According to the legends, Goddess Parvati was taking bath. While bathing, she created an idol made of mud, named it Lord Ganesha and placed it at the entranceway. She breathed in life to the idol and hence, Lord Ganesha was born. She instructed him to act as a guard and not allow anybody inside, unless she has finished bathing. After some time, Lord Shiva, the consort of Goddess Parvati, entered home. He was very thirsty. As he was approaching Goddess Parvati to quench his thirst, he was stopped by Lord Ganesha.

Stubborn Lord Ganesha didn't allow Lord Shiva to enter the premises, where Goddess Parvati was taking bath. This made Lord Shiva very angry and consequently, he beheaded Lord Ganesha. When Goddess Parvati came to know this, she became intensely angry and grew ferocious and strong enough to destruct the world. All the Gods from swarglok and Lord Shiva himself requested the highly aggressive Goddess Parvati to calm down. In order to pacify her, Lord Shiva fixed the head of an elephant onto Lord Ganesha's body. Not satisfied with it, Goddess Parvati asked that Lord Ganesha should be worshipped before all the other gods. Since then, Lord Ganesha is invoked first, before worshipping any other deity. This story makes the foundation for the celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in different parts of India.

Myth About Ganesh Chaturthi

• According to the Hindu religion, there is a myth which tells that anyone who sees the moon on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi will be accused of doing something wrong.
• If by mistake a person sees the moon then there is only one solution to keep the troubles away and that is, by reciting or listening to the story of the syamantaka jewel which is there in the Puranas.
• Lord Ganesha on one of his birthdays, ate large amount of 21 types of sweets including laddus, modaks and sweet porridge made by his mother, Goddess Parvati.
• After eating, went for a nightly round on his vehicle rat but suddenly a snake came in front of the rat and was scared to see it.
• After this, the rat stumbled and Lord Ganesha fell down and all the sweets came out from his pot-belly as it burst.
• Then quickly Lord Ganesha put all the sweets inside his belly and tied that snake around his belly as a belt.
• At that time, he heard the voice of laughing and when he looked up, he saw that the moon was mocking at him.
• Seeing this, he became very angry and broke off one of his tusks and threw it at the moon.
• Also, he cursed the moon saying, that whoever will see the moon on the festive occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, will be blamed of a wrong doing.
• Even today the myth has survived and people avoid looking at the moon on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.