How to Celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi Festival in Covid-19 2021

In this article I will discover How to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi Festival in Covid 19 2021. “Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya varshi lavkar ya…!” This line expresses the feelings of every devotee for Ganpati Bappa. One can hear these lines in each and every street of Mumbai during the spectacular celebration of Ganesh Utsav. Ganesh Utsav is a Hindu festival celebrated throughout India as the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha who is believed to be powerful enough to eliminate all obstacles and bestow good luck. Though, it is celebrated elaborately in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Goa. But every year, Mumbai hosts one of the biggest Ganeshotsav celebrations in the city. Lord Ganesha is the patron deity of Maharashtra and over 50,000 idols are commissioned in Mumbai in 2020. This alone is enough to explain the spirit of Mumbai in celebrating the festival with great devotion and faith.

As the entire nation is fighting against the novel Corona Virus, the numbers are getting higher each day. Though staying at home has made us spend more time with our loved ones, but the enthusiasm for celebrating festivals will not be achieved this year. The government has asked people to avoid any mass gathering, which makes festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi impossible. Every year a large number of people worship Lord Ganesh, followed by the immersion of the idol with mass gatherings and rallies in the nearest river or lake.

This year, everyone is facing the dilemma of how to celebrate festivals while maintaining social distancing. Meeting everyone and exchanging gifts is the heart and soul of a celebration. However, by staying at home and celebrating every festival with our family can avoid mass gathering and hence, the deadly coronavirus can be avoided.

1. History behind the Celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi

According to historians, Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations were initiated in Maharashtra by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja to promote culture and nationalism in his people.
The festival got a fresh breath when Bal Gangadhar Tilak brought back the tradition of Ganesh Chaturthi from private family celebrations into a grand public event to build unity among people from all backgrounds and to put a fight against Britishers.
Since then, this festival has been celebrated throughout India with great enthusiasm and participation with more and more people joining the processions every year.
With the independence of India in 1947, Ganesh Chaturthi was proclaimed to be a national festival.

2. Beginning of Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations

The festival is celebrated on the fourth day of the Bhadrapada month according to the Hindu calendar which falls in late August or early September.
This festival lasts for 9 to 10 days in which starting day is called Ganesh Chaturthi and the ending day is called Anant Chaturdashi.
The preparations for Ganesh Chaturthi start several months before in advance in order to make giant idols of Lord Ganesha.
Artisans from all over the state of Maharashtra come to Mumbai to do this auspicious work. They make beautiful and huge idols to be worshiped in pandals or in private ceremonies.
Travelers love to see the creation and decoration process of idols in huge factories of Mumbai. Various competitions are organized by communities for awarding the biggest and the best statue of Lord Ganesha.

3. Ganpati Sthapana Vidhi

In Mumbai, the installation of Lord Ganesha is performed during Madhyahana Kaal on the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi as it is believed that Lord Ganesha was born in Madhyahana Kaal.
During these 11 days, the whole city is colorfully decorated and the face of Lord Ganesha is covered which is revealed by the priest as the puja begins.
The arrival of Lord Ganesha starts with excitement and traditional drum beats followed by ceremonies performed to invoke the Lord’s presence in the idol.

4. Food During The Ganesh Chaturthi Festival

No festive occasion is complete without sweets and so is Ganesh Chaturthi.
Modak and Ladoo are Lord Ganesha’s most favorite food. As a result these are the important offering to Lord Ganesha. Traditionally, modak has sweet stuffing made from coconut and jaggery.
Puran Poli stuffed Indian bread. Outer layer in made from whole wheat flour (atta) and stuffing is made from lentil-jaggery. Maladu ladoos made with roasted gram flour.
In Mumbai, Satvik food is eaten during these days like dal, varan bhat, usal, rice poori, pooris, potato sabzi, kheer, modak etc served on a banana leaf.

5. The Ganpati Visrajan

Ganesh Chaturthi is such a festival that is celebrated in the whole of India with a lot of excitement. But Mumbai has its own way of celebrating the Ganesh Utsav. The Ganpati Visarjan in Mumbai is also special because of Mumbai’s location which is next to several beaches. Mumbai contributes more than 150,000 statues in a year the number increasing each year. Mumbai celebrates Ganesh Utsav like none other festivals throughout the calendar. The most important thing about the Ganesh Utsav of Mumbai is that people of Mumbai, at the immersion point, forget the living standards, caste, creed, and color. Each one at the immersion venue becomes, one! A devotee to the deity!

With a hope that this Ganesh Utsav brings a lot of hopes and new beginnings to our life, Eduvogue wishes all out there a very happy Ganesh Utsav celebration.

How does one celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi Puja at home?

After reading my way of celebration you can start this year’s Ganesha Chathurthi at your home.

I am from Tamil Nadu but settled in Karnataka. So we do a combined way of worship of both Tamils and Kannadigas(Later on I will tell the difference).

Ganesh Chathurthi or Vinayakar Chathurthi is a festival that falls on Chathurthi thithi of Avani or Shravana month. This festival is celebrated for Ganapathi(Lord of remover of all obstacles).

Before one day of the festival or on the morning of the festival clean your house thoroughly and wipe the floor.

Take a bath, wear clean or new clothes, in a steel/silver plate fill rice and go to market. Buy a Mudden or clay Ganesha(Don't buy plaster of Paris-Let us keep the environment clean), place him on the plate, and bring him to your home.(See to that Ganesha Murthy is free of all cracks and the trunk should be towards the right side). If you are in Karnataka, you can place even Gowri Vigraham along with Ganesha.

First, draw a Kolam or Rangoli in front of your house and tie flowers/ mango leaves in front of the house.

Place two Kuthu villaku or Deepa on both sides of the Ganesha Vigraham. Tie two plantain stems on both sides of table without falling.

For neivedyam you can select the type of fruits in odd numbers like in 3,5,7 or 9 depending on your budget(Even if you offer one single fruit with great devotion god will accept it). Even the type of flowers for puja can be in odd no. Don't forget to buy Betel leaves, areca nuts, banana, and coconut. Place this is separate plate)

It's very good to fast from morning till the time of Puja(See the good timings for doing puja in the calendar). We call this fasting “Orupozhudu” (Fasting even without drinking water till the puja is done).

The flowers you can buy are Rose, Marigold, Jasmine and mainly Arugam Pill(Ganesha's favorite grass and flower). Fruits like Guava, Pomegranate, Apple, Pineapple, oranges can be offered.It's also good to offer Groundnuts, corns, and sugarcane.

Neivedyam or foods to be offered are very important. Lord Ganapathi likes Ladoos, Modakam, Kozhukattai, Sundal(Channa), and Aval(Beaten rice).

We Tamils always do every festival elaborately so we also prepare a sumptuous meal and offer to Gods called as “Padaiyal”.(You people need not follow this(only South Indians follow this way) but the Neivedyam items are very important.)

Food items in the plaintan leaf are Salt, Potato poriyal, Yam Kootu, Vadai, Applalam, Payasam, Two types of Sundal(Chana), Lady s finger poriyal, Kozhukattai, rice with Sambar, Pickle, and Banana, even Rasam and Butter milk

After preparing start doing the Puja, sing songs in your own language, and chant his divine name 108 times.

Before eating the offered food of God,first, give some food to crows.

Call your neighbors and friends and distribute sweets. Call your relatives also. Enjoy the festival.

Ganesha can be placed in your home from 1 day to 7 days.Every day one Neivedyam should be offered to God.

I normally place him for 3 days and on the 3rd day, I do a small puja and leave him in my home's well.If well is not there leave the Ganesha in some nearby pond or lake.

I hope you will start doing this great festival. Ganesh festival is always of joy and fun with the preparations and enjoyment.

I follow these rituals during this festival :

Firstly, we bring home an idol of Lord Ganesh ( an eco-friendly one of course! ) the previous night and install it in the pooja room ( the place of worship ).
The idol is placed on a plate with some rice spread over it.
Put a sacred thread ( janivaara in Kannada, poonul in Tamil ) over the idol.
Take a coconut, 2 bananas, 5 betel leaves, betel nut palm ( superi ), and other fruits in a plate and place it beside the idol.
In another plate take flowers, green leaves and grass to adore the idol.
Take in three small bowls, turmeric powder, kumkum powder and rice mixed with a little ghee, and turmeric powder ( manthrakshade in Kannada ).
Keep two lamps ( kutthuvillakku or deepad kammba ) with oil and cotton threads.
Keep some incense sticks ( agarbathis ).
Next morning, on the festival day, light the lamps and start the pooja.
Keep the special dishes ( modaks, kheer, ladoos etc ) you prepared for God in a plate ( eventually you're going to eat them :P ).
Worship the Lord Ganesh with flowers, leaves, turmeric etc.
Light the incense sticks and finally perform Mangla Arti!

The dishes I prepared today for Neivedya ( To offer to God ) :

Aambode : A fried dish made from gram dal, green chillies, coriander leaves, curry leaves, grated coconut, ginger, salt!

Kadabu ( similar to modak ) : Another fried dish, this one's is a sweet though, made from wheat flour and for filling I used grated coconut and jaggery!

Payasa ( Kheer ) : Made from wheat flour, milk and sugar!

In the evening, Ganesh Visarjan is performed at home, by immersing the idol in a vessel or bucket filled with water!

Thank you :)

Images taken from my mobile!

Feel free to ask doubts.

OM GANAPATHAYE NAMAH!

What are the best recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi?

Even I have a recipe of making Modak. (^_^)’

Ingredients For the stuffing

1 bowl grated coconut
1/2 bowl sugar
1/2 bowl jaggery
Dry fruits (almonds,raisins, pistachio, cashews) as per your choice
2 to 3 tsp pure ghee
A pinch of Kesar, cardamom and nutmeg powder
1 tsp poppy seeds (khas khas)
2 tsp mawa (optional)
For the cover
2 bowls rice flour
A pinch of salt
2 tsp of oil or ghee
Hot water as per requirement

Method For the stuffing

Heat ghee in a pan. Add poppy seeds and saute for a minute.
Add grated coconut, sugar, jaggery (broken into small pieces or grated), cardamom and nutmeg powder and all dry fruits. Mix thoroughly.
Cook till all moisture from the sugar and jaggery begins to dry.
It takes about 10 to 15 minutes for the mixture to dry on low flame.
Do not overcook as it will harden up and lose its taste.
Stir every 2 to 3 minutes till it turns golden yellow.
You can add more ghee if the stuffing becomes too dry.
For the cover
Boil water.
Add a pinch of salt and 1 tsp of ghee to the flour and mix it thoroughly.
Add 1 tsp of ghee in the boiling water.
Add the dough to the boiling water. Lower heat. Mix well.
Cover the vessel keep it for 5 minutes on low flame to let the rice cook.
Knead the dough into a smooth paste without lumps.
You need to knead it while it is still hot. You may apply some oil or ghee on your palms.
If you feel the dough looks dry and hard, add some hot water and continue to knead till the dough turns smooth.

Making the Modaks

Apply pinch of oil/ghee on your palms and make small balls of the dough.
Flatten it to give it the shape of a katori or cone.
Press the edges of the katori-shaped dough with slight pressure at every 1 inch distance.
The edges of the katori will now look like the petals of the flower.
Put some stuffing in the katori and close the ends to give them a shape like fresh figs or momos.
Take a leaf of banana or a soft cloth like muslin, and apply bit oil/ghee on it and place it in the steamer pan.
Place all the modaks on the leaf or cloth and close the lid.
Steam it for 5 to 6 minutes and turn off the flame.
Your delicious modaks are ready to be served.

What is the difference between Ganesh Chaturthi and Anant Chaturthi?

Most of the people in India think that Ganesh Jayanti and Ganesh Chaturthi are same festivals with different names. The fact is that this not true and there is a difference between these two festivals.

In India Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated and is observed on the fourth day of the first fortnight (Shukla Chaturthi) in the month of Bhadrapada as per the Hindu Calendar which is generally in August or September in the Gregorian calendar. This festival is celebrated for ten days and ends on the fourteenth day of the fortnight (Anant Chaturdashi).

There are five types of Ganesh Chaturthi:

1. Vinayaka Chaturthi:
After Amavasya or new moon, the Vinayaka Chaturthi is observed, i.e. during Shukla Paksha is known as Vinayaka Chaturthi.

2. Angarak Chaturthi:
Angarak Chaturthi is observed every on Tuesday because Tuesday is the Lord Ganesha’s favorite day, so Angarak Chaturthi is considered as a highly auspicious day for their devotee.

3. Maagh Krishna Chaturthi (Also known as Ganesh Jayanti):
On this day devotee offer, Ladoos made up of jaggery and with sesame and Naivedya of Til. Devotees of Lord Ganesha’s believed that by worshiping him on Maagh Krishna Chaturthi he takes care of their loved one's whole year.

4. Sankashti Chaturthi :
In English, Sankat means problem and Chaturthi means the fourth state. It is believed that one can get rid of all his problems if he/she do this fast. Chaturthi which comes after Purnima or full moon and during Krishna Paksha is known as Sankashti Chaturthi or Sankat Chauth.

5. Bhadrapad Krishna:
Bhadrapad Krishna is the most famous and significant Chaturthi from all Chaturthi. It is the Bhadrapad Shuka Paksha Chaturthi and it is considered as the birthday of Lord Ganesha.

Ganesh Jayanti

The other festival of Lord Ganesh is Ganesh Jayanti and also know the Varad Chaturthi, Magha Shukla Chaturthi, and Tilkund Chaturthi. In the state of Maharashtra and Goa, Ganesh Jayanti festival is very famous it is held during the Shukla paksha Chaturthi on 4th day of the bright fortnight or the waxing moon, in the month of Maagha as per almanac which corresponds to the Gregorian calendar month of January/February. As per holy books of Hindus, Nandi who is the gate- guardian deity of Kailasa (the abode of Lord Shiva), narrated to the Sanatkumara sages that God Krishna was charged with stealing as he saw the moon on Magha Shukla Chaturthi, which was prohibited. He observed fast on this day and got rid of the accusation of stealing

These above-mentioned festival are the two big festivals of Lord Ganesh. Apart from this, every month two Ganesh Chaturthi is also observed as fasting days by devotees in many parts of India.

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