All Tantric and spiritual worship in the Hindu tradition begins with the invocation of Ganesha (or Ganesh), the elephant-headed god. Every shubh (good) work when started, worship of god ganesh begins first. Hindus, dedicated to God ganesha, also celebrate a special festival. Ganesha Chaturthi or Ganesha Festival is a day on which Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees. On this day, marble god statue of lord ganesha are being washed and scented. They are decorated and worshiped. In some parts of India like Maharashtra, this festival continues for 10 days.

Ganesha became the Lord (Isha) of all existing beings (Gana) after winning a contest from his brother Kartikay. When given the task to race around the universe, Ganesha did not start the race like Kartikay did, but simply walked around Shiva and Parvati, both his father and mother as the source of all existence.

Many stories describe how Ganesha got the elephant head. One tells how Parvati created Ganesha in absence of Shiva to guard her quarters. When Shiva wanted to see her Ganesha forbid it, at which point Shiva cut of his head. Later Shiva restored Ganesha to life and provided him with the head of an elephant, because no other was available. In another story, Ganesha’s head is burned to ashes when Saturn is forced by Parvati to look at her child and bless him.

Ganesha rides a rat that represents the subjugated demon of vanity and impertinence. The conch represents the sound that creates Akash. The laddu (sweet) represents Sattva. The snakes represent control over the poisons of the passions and refer to Shiva, father of Ganesha.The hatchet cuts away the bondage of desires. The mudra grants fearlessness. The broken tusk is the one with which Ganesha wrote the Mahabaratha.

Acceptance of the somewhat funny looking elephant man Ganesha as the divine force stills the rational mind and it’s doubts, forcing one to look beyond outer appearances. Thus Ganesha creates the faith to remove all obstacles. Meditation on the Ganesha Yantra creates internal balance.

Putting ganesha marble statues at the top of the front door and inside the home fills the full environment with a positive energy and good luck, as trusted by the Hindus. Although people of other religions also do the same, to bring good luck at their homes.

Worshipping Ganesh is closely associated with routine life of innumerable Hindu families in India as well as abroad. Ganesh is believed to be the Lord of success, who blesses his followers with their desired achievements by removing the obstacles of their paths. Hence, ‘Vignaharta’ is one of the popular names of Ganesh and it translates to the ‘demolisher of obstacles’. Here is a discussion about the belief of millions of people in Lord Ganesh being the guarantor of success.

Beginning of New Ventures

Lord Ganesha is remembered and worshipped at the beginning of big as well as small ventures, like those mentioned below:

* Construction of home, office, shop or any other structure begins with Ganesh puja or worship, by which the people request the Lord to bless the completion of task successfully.

* Most of the Ganesh believers begin their journeys to distant places by remembering him, so that they don’t face any harm or injury on the way.

* Many people keep small Ganesh statues with them while going for an important examination, or a job interview. This is because, Ganesh is also considered as the Lord of wisdom.

* Even the business houses, fashion designers, merchandise stores and all types of vendor shops never fail to put on Ganesh wall hangings or paintings in different parts of the premises.

Ganesha Symbolism

Lord Ganesh enlightens the path of success for his devotees, as his body and possessions symbolize different aspects of being successful in life.

Here is a discussion on this:

* Ganesh’s head represents the soul, which according to Hindu mythology, is considered to be the ultimate reality of life.

* Ganesh’s human body is the symbol of physical existence of humans on the Earth.

* The elephant head of the Lord signifies intelligence, which is important to achieve success.

* Long trunk symbolizes ‘Om’, which according to Hindu religion, is the basis of universe creation and a success hymn.

* The goad in one of the right hands helps the Lord to remove obstacles from the path of his followers’ success.

* The noose in his left hand helps the Lord to ease out the difficulties faced by his followers.

* Rosary in his one of the four hands propels his followers to continue gaining knowledge throughout the life.

* His broken tusk is held by Ganesh in his fourth hand to encourage humans for sacrificing.

* Snakes on Ganesh’s waist represent the energies to achieve success.

* Ganesh’s ride on mouse conveys human to become humble, even after being on top positions.

* The big ears of Ganesh are to assure that he listens to all his followers.

Lord Ganesh, with all his attributes mentioned above, is considered to develop a positive aura around him and remembering him brings positivism in life that leads to success in various desired forms.

Lord Ganesh:
One of the most popular Gods in India, lord Ganesh or Ganpati is considered a symbol of wisdom and a bringer of good luck. He is revered across India as a great clearer of obstacles. Lord Ganesha is the elephant-headed God. He is worshipped first in any prayers. His Names are repeated first before any auspicious work is begun, before any kind of worship is begun. It is said that his elephant head epitomises everything related to wisdom-small shrewd eyes, long ears that miss nothing, a long nose that can smell out anything fight and his vehicle, a mouse, reflects how much importance a wise man gives to the smallest of life forms.
Ganesha is the first God. Riding on a mouse, one of nature’s smallest creatures and having the head of an elephant, the biggest of all animals, denotes that Ganesha is the creator of all creatures. Elephants are very wise animals; this indicates that Lord Ganesha is an embodiment of wisdom. It also denotes the process of evolution—the mouse gradually evolves into an elephant and finally becomes a man. This is why Ganesha has a human body, an elephant’s head and a mouse as His vehicle. This is the symbolic philosophy of His form.
Mythology:
Centuries ago during a war between the Gods and the Demons, Lord Shiva was away for a long time. His wife, Goddess Parvati, afraid of being alone for an extended period used her divine powers and created a son, Ganesh, and gave him the responsibility of protecting the house. When Lord Shiva and his army, returned victorious to his home, Parvati was in her bath, and Ganesh had been strictly instructed not to allow anyone in. Angered by Ganesh’s refusal to allow him in to the house, Lord Shiva and his army chopped off the boy’s head. When Parvati came out of her bath, she was shocked and grieved to see her son dead. Lord Shiva, to pacify, her proclaimed that the head of Ganesh would be replaced by that of the first creature that came up the hill. As luck would have it the first visitor to the hill was an elephant and his head was promptly cut off and placed on that of Lord Ganesh, and life was restored to the son of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati. To pacify his wife further and compensate for the act of killins own son, Lord Shiva bestowed upon Ganesh the powers of a God and blessed him that henceforth no activity will begin without invoking your name and blessings. Since then, it is said, no new venture – the inauguration of accompany, the opening of a shop, the foundation of a building, entering a new home – is deemed complete by Hindus without a Ganesh puja.
He is very fond of sweet pudding or balls of rice flour with a sweet core. On one of His birthdays He was going around house to house accepting the offerings of sweet puddings. Having eaten a good number of these, He set out moving on His mouse at night. Suddenly the mouse stumbled—it had seen a snake and became frightened—with the result that Ganesha fell down. His stomach burst open and all the sweet puddings came out. But Ganesha stuffed them back into His stomach and, catching hold of the snake, tied it around His belly.
Seeing all this, the moon in the sky had a hearty laugh. This unseemly behaviour of the moon annoyed Him immensely and so he pulled out one of His tusks and hurled it against the moon, and cursed that no one should look at the moon on the Ganesh Chaturthi day. If anyone does, he will surely earn a bad name, censure or ill-repute. However, if by mistake someone does happen to look at the moon on this day, and then the only way he can be freed from the curse is by repeating or listening to the story of how Lord Krishna cleared his character regarding the Syamantaka jewel. This story is quoted in the Srimad Bhagavatam. Lord Ganesha was pleased to ordain thus. Glory to Lord Ganesha! How kind and merciful He is unto His devotees!
The Festival:
Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most popular of Hindu festivals. This is the birthday of Lord Ganesha. It is the day most sacred to Lord Ganesha. It falls on the 4th day of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada (August-September). It is observed throughout India, as well as by devoted Hindus in all parts of the world. Milk is offered to idols of lord Ganesh at home and at temples, and Ganesh puja is performed at all temples. Fasting, feasting and distribution of sweets offered to Lord Ganesh are important aspects of Ganesh chaturthi rituals in India. Hindus pray to images of Lord Ganesha, large and small, many of them made specially for the occasion by cottage industries and street side artisans, and those that do not wish to keep the idols alive by daily prayers, offerings and lighting oil lamps, immerse them in the nearest water body (all rivers, lakes and the sea which are sacred to Hindus).

Shoppe varieties of Ganesha Idols from this site and pray to Lord Ganesha for inner spiritual strength to attain success in all your undertakings.