Ganesha is perhaps the most loved Indian God and his birthday Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated all across India with much pomp and fervour. Even kids love Lord Ganesha and participate in the festival with a lot of excitement.
In Mumbai and in many parts of Maharashtra it is celebrated for a period of 10 days and can easily be called one of Mumbai's favourite festivals. It ends on the tenth day or Ananta Chaturdashi. This year Ganesh Chaturthi is being celebrate on September 5.
Bringing Bappa home
On the eve of the first day of the festival, a Ganesh idol is brought home but the face of the idol is covered with a sacred cloth. The next day the sthapna pooja is done and various offerings such as fruits, flowers and prasaad are kept in front of Ganpati. The most important attraction of the prasaad is modak or ladoo, which is considered to be Ganesha's favourite food.
Ganesha is known as Vignaharta (one who removes obstacles) and this is the reason why people bring him to their homes every year. The family treats the Ganpati idol as their guest and offer him the best of everything they can. They also pray that Ganpati takes all the sadness/obstacles away from their homes with him.
Aarti is performed in the morning and evening every day until the idol is taken for immersion. The number of days for keeping the Ganesh idol at home varies from person to person. While some keep it for one and a half days or five days, there are many who keep it for the complete 10 days.
The idol is immersed at the end of the festival, which signifies that all our obstacles and problems are being dissolved in the water by Lord Ganesha.
Mantras to recite for peace and prosperity
There are several mantras that must be recited during this auspicious 10-day festival for peace and prosperity in the house.
1. Invoking the lord
This is the first mantra to be recited and is chanted to invoke Lord Ganesh into your house. Popularly known as the vakratunda mantra, this is how it goes:
vakratunda mahaakaaya suryakoti samaprabhaa.
nirvighnam kurumedeva sarvakaaryeshu sarvadaa..
Learn how to recite it here.
2. Ganesh Gayatri mantra
Lord Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and is the first God to be worshipped at any religious occasion or pooja. On chanting the Ganesh Gayatri, one is bestowed upon with the energy and power of Lord Ganesha. When chanted with a pure mind it helps remove obstacles and troubles in one’s life and blesses you with success and prosperity.
Learn how to recite it here:
Continue reading on the next page to know about other important Ganesh mantras!
3. Ganpati Mool Mantra:
This is known as Lord Ganesha's mula mantra and is often refereed to as the beej mantra. This mantra belongs to the Ganpati Upanishad and is known as a powerful mantra that guarantees sure shot success, especially when you are beginning a new venture. This is how it goes:
Aum Gan Ganapatye Namah
Learn how to recite it here:
4. Aum Vakratundaya Hum
A mantra that is from the Ganesha Purana, this powerful mantra is recited when things are not in your favour or when you are facing a lot of negativity in your life.
The gist of the mantra is that "delay no more, my Lord, in straightening the paths of the crooked-minded ones." Learn how to recite it here:
Also Read: 5 easy pauranic mantras you can teach your kids
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