Vinayaka Chaturthi - விநாயக சதுர்த்தி
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This day is dedicated to the Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed God who brings good beginnings and success. Held annually, this festival is a ten day long event. The images of Lord Ganesha are installed and worshipped. On the last day, the idols are taken in processions and immersed in flowing water. You see hordes of people at the sea front at Mumbai immersing thousands of idols in all shapes and colours.
Ganesha Chaturthi is an important festival in India, especially in Maharashtra dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the elephant headed God of all good beginnings and success. It is believed that Lord Ganesha was born on this day and every Chaturthi is considered auspicious. Thousands of clay idols of Lord Ganesha are made in every size, pose, form and colour and worshipped at community Or family festivals which last between one to ten days. These images are then taken in large processions, amidst the rhythm of bells and drums and immersed in flowing water.
Ganesh or Vinayaka Chaturthi is dedicated to Lord Ganesh (son of Shiva), the elephant -headed god of all good beginnings and success. The festival celebrated as the birth day of Lord Ganesha, is a ten day long event held annually in South India especially with great fervour in Maharashtra. It falls on the fourth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhadhrapada (August -September).
Ganapathi an important deity of the Hindus, has different names and manifestations. He is the God of knowledge, wisdom and the 'remover of Obstacles' ('Vignaharta') hence called 'Vigneswar'. He is invoked at the beginning of every major venture.
Although Ganesh worship was performed from time immemorial it was Lok Manya Bal Gangadhar Tilak who was responsible for making Ganesh utsav into a public celebration. A cultural feast is held to coincide with Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharashtra especially at Pune. Classical dance, music performances, poetry recitations, folk dances, theatre and film festival are the main features of this festival. The Hindu ceremony know as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Ganesh Chaturthi is of perennial interest to the Hindus all over India. It is a Vrata observed on the fourth day in the bright fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada called Avani in Tamil, corresponding to the English months of August- September. It is performed to obtain knowledge of things and success in all undertakings. There is not a Hindu ceremony but commences with a Puja of this deity. The reason for this is obvious. Grit and strength of will are necessary for success in all undertakings. Intelligence also must play its part well. The trunk of this elephant- headed deity symbolises grit and strength of will and the had of the elephant symbolises wisdom, so by worshipping Vinayaka, one makes up his mind to use grit and strength of will, wiselt, in the undertaking he is going to set his hands to.
The myth relating to the origin of this deity with an elephant's head and a protruding paunch is as follows:
Once upon a time, Lord Siva, one of the Hindu Trinity, was out hunting with his Gangas or attendants. His consort Parvati was alone. She desired to take a bath, but there were no attendants to guard the entrance of the bathroom while she was in it. By her occult powers she created a guard and placed him at the entrance of the bathroom with strict orders not to let anyone inside.
Siva returned home after a short while and wanted to enter into the bathroom where his consort Parvati was. He was prevented from doing so by the guard placed at the entrance by Parvati. Wild with rage at the audacity of the fellow, who dared to prevent him from entering a room in his own house, Siva drew out his sword and cut off his head. An altercation ensued shortly afterwards between Siva and Parvati over this affair and Siva in the end promised to restore life to the guard whom he had killed in a fir of anger. He sent one of his men to bring him the head of the first animal he saw in the forest with its head facing north, to be placed over the trunk of the guard slain by him since he could not find the original head.
The attendant returned with an elephant's head which Siva placed on the trunk, restored the guard to life, and made him the pati or the chief of his Ganas to compensate for the wrong inflicted on him by his hasty act. From this incident, he is said to have derived the name Ganadhipati, which means the chief of the attendants.
The goddess Parvati is said to have created this guard on the fourth day in the bright fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada in a particular year. So this day has been chosed for his worship every year as specially auspicious and important.
This deity is said to have assumed different forms for a variety of purposes. On one occasion, he is said to have assumed the form of a mad elephant and pursued the virgin Valli whom his brother Subramanya loved madly, to make her seek his brother's protection in terror, which resulted in her deep love for her protector and eventual marriage to him.
On another occasion, he is said to have assumed the form of a crow to upset a pot of holy wate kept by the sage Agastya in his hermitage on the Sahya mountain in Coorg. The holy river Cauvery is said to have taken her rise from this spot.
On one occasion, when a fit for mischief was on him, he is said to have assumed the form of a youth to ply his jokes and tricks in the abode of certain sages. Though he was caught and chained to a pillar there for his mischief in the beginning, the sages came to know subsequently who he really was, and offered him gifts of a kind of sweetmeat called modakam. From that time onward, people began the practice of preparing this special kind of sweetmeat for offering to Vinayaka and distributing the same among the youngsters. The use of hariali grass for performing the worship of their god is also said to be of special importance.
Once there is said to have lived an asura called Gajamukha. He was very powerful and compelled Indra and the other devas to knock on their foreheads with their knuckles and to sit and stand alternately to show that they were submissive to him. Vinayaka is said to have destroyed this asura and consequently the devas did before him what they were compelled to do by the asura. The people copied this practice from the devas and it has now become the custom with the Hindus of all classes, when worshipping Vinayaka.
Vinayaka is said to ride on a Mushaka or a mouse. Some say that is symbolic of his relation to agriculture. The word Mushakam is berived from a word which means 'thief'. A mouse steals corn, and hence this deity is worshipped to protect the corn from the field mouse, since all the rodents are said to be under his control. Further the deity's protuberant belly is said to represent the barn or the storehouse for grains and his ears the surpa or the winnowing tray.
The tusk, the single one that he possesses, stands for the piece of iron in a plough which turns over the furrow, and his trunk stands for sheaths of corn. The name Surpakarna given to the deity lends support to this statement that he symbolises agricultural operations.
Ravana, the king of the Rakshasas, is said to have performed severe penance invoking the blessings of Siva and obtained from him a Lingam or phallic symbol. The devas did not want this Lingam to reach Lanka, and consequently made representations to Vinayaka.
Vinayaka, thereupon, stood on the way by which Ravana was coming, in the guise of a Brahmin youth. By his occult powers, he created an immediate urge in Ravana to answer the call of nature. He therefore asked the youth to hold the Lingam for him for a few minutes with strict injunction not to place it on the ground on any account, since he was told by Siva that dire consequences would ensue if he happened to do so. The youth promised to hold it for a specified period of time, but said that he would place the Lingam on the ground if Ravana did not return within that period. Ravana consented, but could not return within the specified period. The youth then placed it on the ground. The Lingam immediately took root and became immovable having become fixed to the earth. The spot, which is in Maharashtra, thenceforth came to be known as Gokarana, a very famous Hindu religious centre.
When Ravana returned and found out the trick played by the youth which spoiled his project of installing the Lingam in his capital to ensure its prosperity, he grew very angry and gave him a severe knock on the forehead, upon which, Vinayaka showed him his true form. Ravana thereupon begged his pardon for the mistake committed by him unwittingly. To atone for the sin of this act, he knocked himself on his forehead with his knuckles, which practice was forthwith copied by others to propitiate Vinayaka when performing his Pooja.
There is a myth explaining the origin of the custom of breaking a number of coconuts before Vinayaka for attaining success in any undertaking. On one occasion, Vinayaka had to enter the palace of the king of Benares to bless a bridal pair there. An asura called Kuta prevented him from entering by assuming the form of a big rock. Vinayaka caused a number of coconuts to be brought there by the king and his people, and had them broken on the rock. This not only broke it into pieces but also drove the asura out of it. People thereupon copied this practice of breaking coconuts in front of Vinayaka, to overcome hindrances and impediments in any undertaking and it has since become one of the customs of the Hindus.
The great epic Mahabharata of the Hindus is said have been written by this deity to dication by the sage Vyasa, at a single stretch, on Mount Meru. One of his tusks was broken and uses in place of a style and from this act, he is said to have won the name of Eka Dantam or deity with one tusk or tooth.
There are temples for Vinayaka everywhere in India and the Hindus worship him throughtout the length and breadth of the land. But the shrines of special importance are those in the village of Tiruvalanjuli near Kumbakonam, Tiruvidaimarutur in the Tanjore district, Tiruchengattangudi near Nannilamin in the same district of Tanjore, and Trichinopoly where on the summit of a rock commanding the town, stands a special shrine of this god.
At Tiruvalanjuli, his form is represented in white stone. Also a metal image, representing him with his two consorts Vani and Kami, exists in the temple there. In the temple at Tiruvidaimardur, the image is placed very near the sanctum of the god, since he is said to have worshipped Siva in that place.
At Tiruchengattangudi, and in the small shrine in the southern main street at Chidambaram, he is represented with ordinary human heads.
In the thousand- pillared mandapa at Chidambaram, there is a carving of this deity, on one of the pillars known as navanita Ganapathi or butter- eating Ganapathi.
Heramba or Panchamukha (five- faced) Ganapathi forms are found in the neelayathakshi Amman temple at Negapatam and in the temple at Jambukeswaram. In the former placed, the image is made of metal with a lion as its Vahana or vehicle, while in the latter, it is made of stone only without any vahana.
"Ravana's mother was in the habit of worshipping a Lingam for ensuring prosperity for her son. But Indra took it stealthily away, out of spite, and threw it into the sea. Ravana's mother thereupon refused to take even a morsel of food as her devotions were interrupted. Ravana promised his mother that he would bring the chief Atma Lingam down from Kailash, and left for that mountain, the home of Siva. There he performed the most severe austerities. He had a melodious voice and sang so well that Siva was pleased at hearing his own praise in verse. The king of Ceylon chopped off his own head, made strings out of its skin, and with the harp prepared from those strings, played to the satisfaction of the God of Kailash, who asked him to the satisfaction of the God of Kailash, who asked him to name his desires. Ravana thereupon asked for the Atma Lingam and for a wife as beautiful as Uma herself. Siva took out from his own heart the luminous Atma Lingam as bright as a crore of suns and handed it over to the demon, with the injunction that it should never be placed on the earth except where it had to be located for ever. Holding the gem in his hand, Ravana repeated his request for a beautiful wife- as charming as the goddess. Siva replied that his wife Uma had no equal in beauty all over the universe, and therefore he could only after her as she was. Infatuated, Ravana accepted her, blinded as he was by the unholy lust for the Mother of the Creation. He placed her on his shoulder, and walked off with the mother of the god of war, Skanda! He was going to the south. When he was seen taking away the Atma Lingam and the goddess, all the gods were alarmed. Her sons Ganesh, Skanda, and Virabhadra, as well as Nandikeshwara, were all astonished. They went to Siva and complained how he could part with their mother.
Lord Siva smiled, and added that her great champion Vishnu, the Lord of Vaikuntha, would release her. Bhavani, or Uma, also began praying. She was and is herself a great power, but when ordered by her husband to go, she, as a dutiful wife, would not disobey. She, therefore, invoked the help of Vishnu. Lord Vishnu appeared before Ravana in the guise of an old Brahmin and asked him where he got so charming a wife from. The demon replied that she was given to him by Sadasiva, the Lord of Kailash, and elated with the praise, walked apace. Do look at her, said the Pseudo Brahmin. Here the power of Vishnu made him forget himself and he took her down to gaze at her beauteous face. But alas! The all- powerful goddess had turned herself into an old hag. Dirty, hideous, with frightful eyebrows, sunken cheeks, and toothless mouth she stood there- a horried, repulsive figure! The Brahmin laughed a cynical, satanic laugh and chided: 'Oh Ravana, what a beauty, for a wife of the emperor of Ceylon!' Ravana felt humiliated and disgusted and left her on the spot. As soon as he turned away, Lord Vishnu, the husband of the goddess of wealth, established her there as Mother Bhadra Kali, where she still lives. The demon returned to Kailash and complained to Siva for giving him such a dirty hag. 'Yes, you speak the truth, my friend,' said he, she is a witch, a bad lot. She pervades the 'innumerable universes.' And she is invincible, you cannot rule her. She is uncontrollable.' God Vishnu then created a charming girl and assured Ravana that she would be born as Mandodari, the daughter of Mayasura, that she would marry him and be a faithful wife. Ravana was satisfied at this assurance and proceeded with the journey still holding the Atma Lingam in his hand. But as soon as he came to the same spot where he had left Uma, he met Ganesh who was in the guise of a cowherd. The great god of success was requested by the other gods to save the Atma Lingam, and that was why he waylaid Ravana. At this moment, Ravana felt an uncontrollable call of nature. So painful was it that he had to request Ganesh to hold the lingm in his hand for a few minutes. Ganesh said that he had to take care of his cows and could not wait for long. He could only stay for an hour and a half at the longest. 'Quite sufficient,' thought Ravana and went aside, but he could not return quickly. Half an hour passed and the cowherd (Ganesh) shouted, 'Beware Ravana, one Ghanta has passed. 'Another half an hour passed and another warning from Ganesh followed. But Ravana could not move. He made signs. He made violent gestures begging him to stay! It may be noted here that in India speech is prohibited while answering the call of nature. The third Ghanta, or half an hour, passed and Ganesh shouted, ' Off I go, sir. My cows have strayed. I cannot stay.' He then placed the Lingam on the earth. At this very juncture Ravana felt free to move and ran after the cowered (Ganesh), but he was gone. He disappeared. His cows also disappeared, but Ravana just reached one of them as she was sinking in the bowels of Mother Earth. He caught the beast by its ear, but the whole of its body went inside. This ear now seen petrified or fossilised in the relic that has given the spot its name Gokarana, or cow's ear, from goor, gau, a cow, and karna, an ear. Associated with the name of god Mahabaleshwar, or the all- powerful, it is called Gokarana Mahabaleshwar, and the chief goddess of the place is called Bhadrakali. Ravana, the king of demons, the ten headed and twenty- handed giant, tried his best to lift the Lingam up but it was eternally fixed. He who could shake Mount Kailash with his powerful and plentiful arms, failed to uproot it, and that is why it is called Mahabaleshwar, the all- powerful god. He then turned once more to the ear of the cow and tried to pull the beast out of the bowels of the earth, but he did not have the power. The ear of the cow, the Lingam of Siva, and goddess Bhadra Kali, are all still there, as three in- one. All the gods Woship them. Ravana's mother and brothers had to come there to worship. Once Vibhishana came to the temple unexpectedly, while a Brahmin named Hemadpant was worshipping the god. He got frightened at the sight of the giant and his himself in the nirmal, or waster bin containing the rejected leaves of the bel tree (Aegle marmelos) dear to Siva. Devout Vibhishana bowed to the Lingam, took a pinch of the bel leaves, and placed it in his turban. Poor Hemadpant was carried in that pinch unnoticed by the giant. He went to Ceylon and there learnt the script known as Modi or modified Nagari. He again hid himself in the turban of the giant and as soon as the latter returned to the temple to pay his homage to Mahabaleshwar he escaped. He had thus been able to import a new script into the Maratha speaking territory. Such is the tradition, but the fact remains that Shivaji introduced it in government correspondence, through his secretary Chitnis Balaji Avaji. It is therefore known as Chitnish Valan. Gokarna Mahabaleshwar, the seat of Bhadrakali, is reached from Bombay coasting steamers, and is visited by thousands of pilgrims who have faith in this Purana. Many of them prefer it to all other seats of Kali, owing, as is related above, to the fact of the entire goddess being present there...
"Once upon a time while elephant- headed Ganesh was riding in his mouse and apssing from Satyalok (Brahma's abode) through Chandralok (the moon's abode) he fell down. The moon, who is very proud of his (the moon is a male in Indian mythology) good looks, laughed at him. Ganesh cursed him and said: 'Oh you sinner. Oh you antelope- Shaped nimbus- faced fellow! Those who look at your face hereafter shall be falsely accused of offences against the law.' This curse produced consternation all over the universe. The moon hid himself in a lotus- flower. When he could not be seen, gods, rishis, gandharavas- all were very sorry. Headed by Indra, they went to Brahma for advice. He said that god Ganesh alone was able to remove the baneful influence of his curse, and advised them to appeal to him. Brihaspati, the preceptor of the gods, was then deputed to the moon, to direct him how he should propitiate god Ganesh. The moon did as he was instructed. Lord Ganesh was pleased, and appeared before him in all his glory attended by the eight goddesses of success (ashtasiddhi). The moon begged to be pardoned. He was asked to name the favour he sought. He naturally begged that the terrible curse be wiped off. Ganesh refused. He said he would give him anything but that. The gods interceded. Ganesh revoked the curse. He said: 'On the fourth day of the month of Bhadrapada (Ganesh day) those who will see you shall suffer from the curse in the course of the following year; there is no gainsaying that. But sin will not touch those who will bow unto thee on every second day of each month.' At the further importunities of the repentant moon, Ganesh directed thus: 'If by accident any one happened to see the moon on the special Ganesh day he should fast on the fourth day (Chaturthi) of the second half of a month, and worship me, and worship the moon with his consort Rohini as soon as they rise above the horizon. He should give to a priest a gold image of myself. He shall, if he does so, be protected from calamities.'
"The goddess Durga expressed her desire to her lord, Siva, that she felt a craving for a baby to suckle. Siva miled and remarked 'Why You are the mother of the whole universe.' But she said that it was sad to miss the pleasure of actually nursing a baby and demanded that at least Kartik, his son, born in another way and kept aloof from her, should be brought to her. He consented and left Kailash to bring him. Durga was however so intent on having a baby that she made a doll and was looking at it. Vishnu, the protector, noticed it and thought it a good opportunity to please her. He therefore entered the doll and it came to life! When Siva returned with Kartik he found that his wife had already one child in her lap. She explained what had happened. They were both overjoyed and invited all the gods to have a look at the lovely baby. Among the guests was Sani, or Saturn, notorious for his evil eye. As soon as he threw a glance at the baby its head dropped off! Alas! Everybody was distressed and all the folds were alarmed! Durga began crying, and Siva could not bear it. At her request, he sent his Ganas, or attendants, to find the lost head, but they failed! At last he directed that the north should be chopped off and brought to him forthwith. An unfortunate cow elephant was found in that inauspicious position. Its head was severed and taken to Kailash. Siva placed it on the mutilated body of the doll which came to life again! But the hideous, disproportionate figure of a man with the head of an elephant, distressed Durga. In order to compensate for the disfigurement , Siva ordained that he should be appointed the head of the Ganas, or attendants, and called Ganapathi (pati chief) or Ganesh (mish- chief or head) and that in all pujas he should be the first deity to be invoked. He further added that one who invokes Ganesh at the beginning of an undertaking shall have his efforts crowned with success, and bestowed the title of Siddhidata, 'the success giver.' On the boy. Ganesh thus became the departmetal deity of success."
Ganesha Chaturthi is an important festival in India, especially in Maharashtra dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the elephant headed God of all good beginnings and success. It is believed that Lord Ganesha was born on this day and every Chaturthi is considered auspicious. Thousands of clay idols of Lord Ganesha are made in every size, pose, form and colour and worshipped at community Or family festivals which last between one to ten days. These images are then taken in large processions, amidst the rhythm of bells and drums and immersed in flowing water.
Ganesh or Vinayaka Chaturthi is dedicated to Lord Ganesh (son of Shiva), the elephant -headed god of all good beginnings and success. The festival celebrated as the birth day of Lord Ganesha, is a ten day long event held annually in South India especially with great fervour in Maharashtra. It falls on the fourth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhadhrapada (August -September).
Ganapathi an important deity of the Hindus, has different names and manifestations. He is the God of knowledge, wisdom and the 'remover of Obstacles' ('Vignaharta') hence called 'Vigneswar'. He is invoked at the beginning of every major venture.
Although Ganesh worship was performed from time immemorial it was Lok Manya Bal Gangadhar Tilak who was responsible for making Ganesh utsav into a public celebration. A cultural feast is held to coincide with Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharashtra especially at Pune. Classical dance, music performances, poetry recitations, folk dances, theatre and film festival are the main features of this festival. The Hindu ceremony know as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Ganesh Chaturthi is of perennial interest to the Hindus all over India. It is a Vrata observed on the fourth day in the bright fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada called Avani in Tamil, corresponding to the English months of August- September. It is performed to obtain knowledge of things and success in all undertakings. There is not a Hindu ceremony but commences with a Puja of this deity. The reason for this is obvious. Grit and strength of will are necessary for success in all undertakings. Intelligence also must play its part well. The trunk of this elephant- headed deity symbolises grit and strength of will and the had of the elephant symbolises wisdom, so by worshipping Vinayaka, one makes up his mind to use grit and strength of will, wiselt, in the undertaking he is going to set his hands to.
The myth relating to the origin of this deity with an elephant's head and a protruding paunch is as follows:
Once upon a time, Lord Siva, one of the Hindu Trinity, was out hunting with his Gangas or attendants. His consort Parvati was alone. She desired to take a bath, but there were no attendants to guard the entrance of the bathroom while she was in it. By her occult powers she created a guard and placed him at the entrance of the bathroom with strict orders not to let anyone inside.
Siva returned home after a short while and wanted to enter into the bathroom where his consort Parvati was. He was prevented from doing so by the guard placed at the entrance by Parvati. Wild with rage at the audacity of the fellow, who dared to prevent him from entering a room in his own house, Siva drew out his sword and cut off his head. An altercation ensued shortly afterwards between Siva and Parvati over this affair and Siva in the end promised to restore life to the guard whom he had killed in a fir of anger. He sent one of his men to bring him the head of the first animal he saw in the forest with its head facing north, to be placed over the trunk of the guard slain by him since he could not find the original head.
The attendant returned with an elephant's head which Siva placed on the trunk, restored the guard to life, and made him the pati or the chief of his Ganas to compensate for the wrong inflicted on him by his hasty act. From this incident, he is said to have derived the name Ganadhipati, which means the chief of the attendants.
The goddess Parvati is said to have created this guard on the fourth day in the bright fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada in a particular year. So this day has been chosed for his worship every year as specially auspicious and important.
This deity is said to have assumed different forms for a variety of purposes. On one occasion, he is said to have assumed the form of a mad elephant and pursued the virgin Valli whom his brother Subramanya loved madly, to make her seek his brother's protection in terror, which resulted in her deep love for her protector and eventual marriage to him.
On another occasion, he is said to have assumed the form of a crow to upset a pot of holy wate kept by the sage Agastya in his hermitage on the Sahya mountain in Coorg. The holy river Cauvery is said to have taken her rise from this spot.
On one occasion, when a fit for mischief was on him, he is said to have assumed the form of a youth to ply his jokes and tricks in the abode of certain sages. Though he was caught and chained to a pillar there for his mischief in the beginning, the sages came to know subsequently who he really was, and offered him gifts of a kind of sweetmeat called modakam. From that time onward, people began the practice of preparing this special kind of sweetmeat for offering to Vinayaka and distributing the same among the youngsters. The use of hariali grass for performing the worship of their god is also said to be of special importance.
Once there is said to have lived an asura called Gajamukha. He was very powerful and compelled Indra and the other devas to knock on their foreheads with their knuckles and to sit and stand alternately to show that they were submissive to him. Vinayaka is said to have destroyed this asura and consequently the devas did before him what they were compelled to do by the asura. The people copied this practice from the devas and it has now become the custom with the Hindus of all classes, when worshipping Vinayaka.
Vinayaka is said to ride on a Mushaka or a mouse. Some say that is symbolic of his relation to agriculture. The word Mushakam is berived from a word which means 'thief'. A mouse steals corn, and hence this deity is worshipped to protect the corn from the field mouse, since all the rodents are said to be under his control. Further the deity's protuberant belly is said to represent the barn or the storehouse for grains and his ears the surpa or the winnowing tray.
The tusk, the single one that he possesses, stands for the piece of iron in a plough which turns over the furrow, and his trunk stands for sheaths of corn. The name Surpakarna given to the deity lends support to this statement that he symbolises agricultural operations.
Ravana, the king of the Rakshasas, is said to have performed severe penance invoking the blessings of Siva and obtained from him a Lingam or phallic symbol. The devas did not want this Lingam to reach Lanka, and consequently made representations to Vinayaka.
Vinayaka, thereupon, stood on the way by which Ravana was coming, in the guise of a Brahmin youth. By his occult powers, he created an immediate urge in Ravana to answer the call of nature. He therefore asked the youth to hold the Lingam for him for a few minutes with strict injunction not to place it on the ground on any account, since he was told by Siva that dire consequences would ensue if he happened to do so. The youth promised to hold it for a specified period of time, but said that he would place the Lingam on the ground if Ravana did not return within that period. Ravana consented, but could not return within the specified period. The youth then placed it on the ground. The Lingam immediately took root and became immovable having become fixed to the earth. The spot, which is in Maharashtra, thenceforth came to be known as Gokarana, a very famous Hindu religious centre.
When Ravana returned and found out the trick played by the youth which spoiled his project of installing the Lingam in his capital to ensure its prosperity, he grew very angry and gave him a severe knock on the forehead, upon which, Vinayaka showed him his true form. Ravana thereupon begged his pardon for the mistake committed by him unwittingly. To atone for the sin of this act, he knocked himself on his forehead with his knuckles, which practice was forthwith copied by others to propitiate Vinayaka when performing his Pooja.
There is a myth explaining the origin of the custom of breaking a number of coconuts before Vinayaka for attaining success in any undertaking. On one occasion, Vinayaka had to enter the palace of the king of Benares to bless a bridal pair there. An asura called Kuta prevented him from entering by assuming the form of a big rock. Vinayaka caused a number of coconuts to be brought there by the king and his people, and had them broken on the rock. This not only broke it into pieces but also drove the asura out of it. People thereupon copied this practice of breaking coconuts in front of Vinayaka, to overcome hindrances and impediments in any undertaking and it has since become one of the customs of the Hindus.
The great epic Mahabharata of the Hindus is said have been written by this deity to dication by the sage Vyasa, at a single stretch, on Mount Meru. One of his tusks was broken and uses in place of a style and from this act, he is said to have won the name of Eka Dantam or deity with one tusk or tooth.
There are temples for Vinayaka everywhere in India and the Hindus worship him throughtout the length and breadth of the land. But the shrines of special importance are those in the village of Tiruvalanjuli near Kumbakonam, Tiruvidaimarutur in the Tanjore district, Tiruchengattangudi near Nannilamin in the same district of Tanjore, and Trichinopoly where on the summit of a rock commanding the town, stands a special shrine of this god.
At Tiruvalanjuli, his form is represented in white stone. Also a metal image, representing him with his two consorts Vani and Kami, exists in the temple there. In the temple at Tiruvidaimardur, the image is placed very near the sanctum of the god, since he is said to have worshipped Siva in that place.
At Tiruchengattangudi, and in the small shrine in the southern main street at Chidambaram, he is represented with ordinary human heads.
In the thousand- pillared mandapa at Chidambaram, there is a carving of this deity, on one of the pillars known as navanita Ganapathi or butter- eating Ganapathi.
Heramba or Panchamukha (five- faced) Ganapathi forms are found in the neelayathakshi Amman temple at Negapatam and in the temple at Jambukeswaram. In the former placed, the image is made of metal with a lion as its Vahana or vehicle, while in the latter, it is made of stone only without any vahana.
"Ravana's mother was in the habit of worshipping a Lingam for ensuring prosperity for her son. But Indra took it stealthily away, out of spite, and threw it into the sea. Ravana's mother thereupon refused to take even a morsel of food as her devotions were interrupted. Ravana promised his mother that he would bring the chief Atma Lingam down from Kailash, and left for that mountain, the home of Siva. There he performed the most severe austerities. He had a melodious voice and sang so well that Siva was pleased at hearing his own praise in verse. The king of Ceylon chopped off his own head, made strings out of its skin, and with the harp prepared from those strings, played to the satisfaction of the God of Kailash, who asked him to the satisfaction of the God of Kailash, who asked him to name his desires. Ravana thereupon asked for the Atma Lingam and for a wife as beautiful as Uma herself. Siva took out from his own heart the luminous Atma Lingam as bright as a crore of suns and handed it over to the demon, with the injunction that it should never be placed on the earth except where it had to be located for ever. Holding the gem in his hand, Ravana repeated his request for a beautiful wife- as charming as the goddess. Siva replied that his wife Uma had no equal in beauty all over the universe, and therefore he could only after her as she was. Infatuated, Ravana accepted her, blinded as he was by the unholy lust for the Mother of the Creation. He placed her on his shoulder, and walked off with the mother of the god of war, Skanda! He was going to the south. When he was seen taking away the Atma Lingam and the goddess, all the gods were alarmed. Her sons Ganesh, Skanda, and Virabhadra, as well as Nandikeshwara, were all astonished. They went to Siva and complained how he could part with their mother.
Lord Siva smiled, and added that her great champion Vishnu, the Lord of Vaikuntha, would release her. Bhavani, or Uma, also began praying. She was and is herself a great power, but when ordered by her husband to go, she, as a dutiful wife, would not disobey. She, therefore, invoked the help of Vishnu. Lord Vishnu appeared before Ravana in the guise of an old Brahmin and asked him where he got so charming a wife from. The demon replied that she was given to him by Sadasiva, the Lord of Kailash, and elated with the praise, walked apace. Do look at her, said the Pseudo Brahmin. Here the power of Vishnu made him forget himself and he took her down to gaze at her beauteous face. But alas! The all- powerful goddess had turned herself into an old hag. Dirty, hideous, with frightful eyebrows, sunken cheeks, and toothless mouth she stood there- a horried, repulsive figure! The Brahmin laughed a cynical, satanic laugh and chided: 'Oh Ravana, what a beauty, for a wife of the emperor of Ceylon!' Ravana felt humiliated and disgusted and left her on the spot. As soon as he turned away, Lord Vishnu, the husband of the goddess of wealth, established her there as Mother Bhadra Kali, where she still lives. The demon returned to Kailash and complained to Siva for giving him such a dirty hag. 'Yes, you speak the truth, my friend,' said he, she is a witch, a bad lot. She pervades the 'innumerable universes.' And she is invincible, you cannot rule her. She is uncontrollable.' God Vishnu then created a charming girl and assured Ravana that she would be born as Mandodari, the daughter of Mayasura, that she would marry him and be a faithful wife. Ravana was satisfied at this assurance and proceeded with the journey still holding the Atma Lingam in his hand. But as soon as he came to the same spot where he had left Uma, he met Ganesh who was in the guise of a cowherd. The great god of success was requested by the other gods to save the Atma Lingam, and that was why he waylaid Ravana. At this moment, Ravana felt an uncontrollable call of nature. So painful was it that he had to request Ganesh to hold the lingm in his hand for a few minutes. Ganesh said that he had to take care of his cows and could not wait for long. He could only stay for an hour and a half at the longest. 'Quite sufficient,' thought Ravana and went aside, but he could not return quickly. Half an hour passed and the cowherd (Ganesh) shouted, 'Beware Ravana, one Ghanta has passed. 'Another half an hour passed and another warning from Ganesh followed. But Ravana could not move. He made signs. He made violent gestures begging him to stay! It may be noted here that in India speech is prohibited while answering the call of nature. The third Ghanta, or half an hour, passed and Ganesh shouted, ' Off I go, sir. My cows have strayed. I cannot stay.' He then placed the Lingam on the earth. At this very juncture Ravana felt free to move and ran after the cowered (Ganesh), but he was gone. He disappeared. His cows also disappeared, but Ravana just reached one of them as she was sinking in the bowels of Mother Earth. He caught the beast by its ear, but the whole of its body went inside. This ear now seen petrified or fossilised in the relic that has given the spot its name Gokarana, or cow's ear, from goor, gau, a cow, and karna, an ear. Associated with the name of god Mahabaleshwar, or the all- powerful, it is called Gokarana Mahabaleshwar, and the chief goddess of the place is called Bhadrakali. Ravana, the king of demons, the ten headed and twenty- handed giant, tried his best to lift the Lingam up but it was eternally fixed. He who could shake Mount Kailash with his powerful and plentiful arms, failed to uproot it, and that is why it is called Mahabaleshwar, the all- powerful god. He then turned once more to the ear of the cow and tried to pull the beast out of the bowels of the earth, but he did not have the power. The ear of the cow, the Lingam of Siva, and goddess Bhadra Kali, are all still there, as three in- one. All the gods Woship them. Ravana's mother and brothers had to come there to worship. Once Vibhishana came to the temple unexpectedly, while a Brahmin named Hemadpant was worshipping the god. He got frightened at the sight of the giant and his himself in the nirmal, or waster bin containing the rejected leaves of the bel tree (Aegle marmelos) dear to Siva. Devout Vibhishana bowed to the Lingam, took a pinch of the bel leaves, and placed it in his turban. Poor Hemadpant was carried in that pinch unnoticed by the giant. He went to Ceylon and there learnt the script known as Modi or modified Nagari. He again hid himself in the turban of the giant and as soon as the latter returned to the temple to pay his homage to Mahabaleshwar he escaped. He had thus been able to import a new script into the Maratha speaking territory. Such is the tradition, but the fact remains that Shivaji introduced it in government correspondence, through his secretary Chitnis Balaji Avaji. It is therefore known as Chitnish Valan. Gokarna Mahabaleshwar, the seat of Bhadrakali, is reached from Bombay coasting steamers, and is visited by thousands of pilgrims who have faith in this Purana. Many of them prefer it to all other seats of Kali, owing, as is related above, to the fact of the entire goddess being present there...
"Once upon a time while elephant- headed Ganesh was riding in his mouse and apssing from Satyalok (Brahma's abode) through Chandralok (the moon's abode) he fell down. The moon, who is very proud of his (the moon is a male in Indian mythology) good looks, laughed at him. Ganesh cursed him and said: 'Oh you sinner. Oh you antelope- Shaped nimbus- faced fellow! Those who look at your face hereafter shall be falsely accused of offences against the law.' This curse produced consternation all over the universe. The moon hid himself in a lotus- flower. When he could not be seen, gods, rishis, gandharavas- all were very sorry. Headed by Indra, they went to Brahma for advice. He said that god Ganesh alone was able to remove the baneful influence of his curse, and advised them to appeal to him. Brihaspati, the preceptor of the gods, was then deputed to the moon, to direct him how he should propitiate god Ganesh. The moon did as he was instructed. Lord Ganesh was pleased, and appeared before him in all his glory attended by the eight goddesses of success (ashtasiddhi). The moon begged to be pardoned. He was asked to name the favour he sought. He naturally begged that the terrible curse be wiped off. Ganesh refused. He said he would give him anything but that. The gods interceded. Ganesh revoked the curse. He said: 'On the fourth day of the month of Bhadrapada (Ganesh day) those who will see you shall suffer from the curse in the course of the following year; there is no gainsaying that. But sin will not touch those who will bow unto thee on every second day of each month.' At the further importunities of the repentant moon, Ganesh directed thus: 'If by accident any one happened to see the moon on the special Ganesh day he should fast on the fourth day (Chaturthi) of the second half of a month, and worship me, and worship the moon with his consort Rohini as soon as they rise above the horizon. He should give to a priest a gold image of myself. He shall, if he does so, be protected from calamities.'
"The goddess Durga expressed her desire to her lord, Siva, that she felt a craving for a baby to suckle. Siva miled and remarked 'Why You are the mother of the whole universe.' But she said that it was sad to miss the pleasure of actually nursing a baby and demanded that at least Kartik, his son, born in another way and kept aloof from her, should be brought to her. He consented and left Kailash to bring him. Durga was however so intent on having a baby that she made a doll and was looking at it. Vishnu, the protector, noticed it and thought it a good opportunity to please her. He therefore entered the doll and it came to life! When Siva returned with Kartik he found that his wife had already one child in her lap. She explained what had happened. They were both overjoyed and invited all the gods to have a look at the lovely baby. Among the guests was Sani, or Saturn, notorious for his evil eye. As soon as he threw a glance at the baby its head dropped off! Alas! Everybody was distressed and all the folds were alarmed! Durga began crying, and Siva could not bear it. At her request, he sent his Ganas, or attendants, to find the lost head, but they failed! At last he directed that the north should be chopped off and brought to him forthwith. An unfortunate cow elephant was found in that inauspicious position. Its head was severed and taken to Kailash. Siva placed it on the mutilated body of the doll which came to life again! But the hideous, disproportionate figure of a man with the head of an elephant, distressed Durga. In order to compensate for the disfigurement , Siva ordained that he should be appointed the head of the Ganas, or attendants, and called Ganapathi (pati chief) or Ganesh (mish- chief or head) and that in all pujas he should be the first deity to be invoked. He further added that one who invokes Ganesh at the beginning of an undertaking shall have his efforts crowned with success, and bestowed the title of Siddhidata, 'the success giver.' On the boy. Ganesh thus became the departmetal deity of success."
