Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi falls on Bhadrapad Shukla Chaturthi — the fourth day of the bright half of Bhadarva, in the heart of the monsoon festival season between Janmashtami and the Sanjhi days. It celebrates the appearance of Shri Ganeshji, the elephant-headed son of Shivji and Parvatiji, revered across Hindu tradition as Vighnaharta, the remover of obstacles, and as the lord of auspicious beginnings whose remembrance opens every mangal karya.

Homes and communities welcome a murti of Ganeshji, offer him durva grass and his beloved modak and ladoo, and sing his praises; in many places the utsav continues for days, concluding with visarjan by Anant Chaudas. The stories tell of his devotion to his parents — by circling Shivji and Parvatiji he gained the fruit of circling the whole universe — and of the blessing that he would receive the first worship. For the Vaishnav world this day arrives as one more wave in Bhadarva's ocean of utsavs: a day of auspiciousness, sweetness and new beginnings.

Pushtimarg is a path of ananya ashray — a Vaishnav's refuge rests in Shri Krishna alone, and every seva, every prayer flows to Shrinathji. Yet the marg does not turn away from the devas; it understands them, as the Bhagavat teaches, as vibhutis and sevaks of Purna Purushottam Shri Krishna, each carrying out his will. Honoured in that bhav, Ganeshji is remembered as a great bhagavadiya whose task is to clear the path — and a Vaishnav may take this day to pray that every obstacle in seva, satsang and smaran be removed, knowing all the while that for the pushti jiva the true Vighnaharta is Prabhu himself, whose grace no obstacle can withstand.

It is also simply a day of mangal — of sweets offered, of families gathered, of beginnings made auspicious. Whatever good work waits to be started — learning a kirtan, taking up a new seva — this is a fitting day to begin it in Prabhu's name.