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| Lord Ganesh Visarjan (Immersion) |
I’m in Mumbai and obviously thrilled!
The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi starts on September the 9th when Lord Ganesh will bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees during this festival.
The Mumbai Ganesh festival is one of the biggest celebrations of India in the city of Mumbai. If you are from other part of the country or a foreigner visiting India and want to experience an Indian festival Carnival on a grandest scale, this is it!
Apart from the great spiritual significance, the immersion ceremony of idol of Lord Ganesh on Day 10th is a colossal street carnival of Mumbai with a special spiritual meaning.
The Lalbaugcha Raja, King of Lalbaug (a locality of Mumbai), is undoubtedly the most famous Ganesh statue in Mumbai. The mandal was founded in 1934, and has grown to be the most visited one in the city. The Kambli family, of Kambli Arts, has been making the idol since 1935. Its legendary design is now patent protected.
If you want to see the lengths people are prepared to go to for love and devotion, the
Lalbaugcha Raja is the idol to visit. It draws an average of 1.5 million people a day -- astonishing! It’s faith! People simply believe that this Ganesh idol can fulfil their wishes
Spiritual Significance- Installing Lord Ganesh At Home-Daily Prayer
We are often asked how we worship an elephant-headed, pot-bellied, broken-tusked god who travels on a mouse. However, as strange as it seems, every little peculiarity of Lord Ganesha's has a deep spiritual significance.
Why millions visit, pray and install idol of Lord Gamesh? Does faith yield result? The answer is YES!
By welcoming Lord Ganesh on Ganesh Chaturthi, installing him at home or at work place and worshiping him gives wisdom, prosperity and good fortune.
The image below explains the spiritual significance of Lord Ganesh
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| Spiritual significance |
Simple method of Installation and Puja (Prayer)
- Get a clay idol. Pick up the right place to place His idol. Ideally, the idol should be placed just opposite to the entrance of the house.
- Then clean the place with if available, holy Ganga (Ganges) water. Ganges is considered as a holy river in Hinduism that purifies everything. So, clean the place and make sure there is no dirt around. You can stick the picture on the wall. If installing an idol, place a small wooden table and cover with a plain red piece of cloth.
- Place the idol and dress up with required Shringar (clothes, garlands, mouli-kalawa-a colored thread , flowers etc). Clean the place every day and pray to Lord Ganesha. *
Ingredients and daily prayer
- Kumkum, Chawal, Flowers, Incense sticks, Diya and Ghee.
- Wednesday is the day of Lord Ganesha. Therefore, to get His blessings, you can add Sweets, Camphor,Betel leaves and nuts, White janau and coconut. Lord Ganesha loves “Modak” (motichur ka ladoo) so you can offer His favourite sweet on Wednesday.
- Wipe the idol with a wet piece of cloth. Apply Kumkum, Chawal and then light the Diya, Incense sticks. Offer flowers and sweets to the Lord. Fill the diya with ghee (optional), place Diya, Dhoop, Mouli (sacred red thread) and Janau (sacred white thread) on the left side of the idol.
- Chant the Ganesh Aarti and offer sweets once the Aarti (prayer ) is over.
- Finally, bow and seek with utmost sincerity Lord’s blessings for wisdom, prosperity and good fortune
Some simple prayers or Mantas:
1/ ॐ श्रीगणेशाय नमः
‘’Aum Shri Ganeshaya Namah’’2 /वक्रतुंड महाकाय सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभ।
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥
Vakratunda Mahaakaaya Suryakotee Sama Prabha
Nirvighnam kuru mey Deva, Sarva kaaryeshu Sarvadaa
In my opinion, while performing Ganesha Puja at home, you can always be flexible. The strict rituals are meant for Vedic priests. All you need be careful is to perform the pujas with a clean body and clean mind. What is more important is devotion not the ritual.Ganesha is worshipped for 10 days from Bhadrapada Shudha Chaturthi to the Ananta Chaturdashi,
On the 11th day, the statue is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied with dancing, singing, and fanfare to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes of his devotees
At individual homes the Visarjan/Nimajjanam (immersion) is also done on 3rd, 5th or 7th day as per the family tradition
To watch the grandest spectacle in India
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| On way to Immersion |
Dance Ganesh Visarjan
The immersions turn the streets into one mammoth party as the statues are paraded towards the ocean. A huge procession called Dance Ganesh takes place on the last day, complete with DJs, fire dancers, stilt walkers, lasers, lights, and thousands of revelers. It starts out from the Mahalaxmi Temple Compound in Breach Candy, central Mumbai, at around 4 p.m. and ends at the Haji Ali seafront.