Goans do not miss an opportunity to remember their favourite deity, Lord Ganesh, on two auspicious days in the Hindu calendar — Magh Ganesh Jayanti and Bhadrapad Ganesh Chaturthi — both of which mark the birth of the lord of wisdom, prosperity and new beginnings
Lord Ganesh holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Goa. Be it Ganesh Chaturthi or Ganesh Jayanti, devotees remember the lord of wisdom and seek his blessings on these occasions. Temples across the State observe the festivals with rituals such as puja, abhishek, havan, aarti and prasad. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on the fourth day of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Bhadrapad, usually in August or September, while Ganesh Jayanti falls on the fourth day of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Magh, typically in January or February.
Magh Ganesh Jayanti is mainly observed in Maharashtra and the coastal Konkan region. In most parts of India, the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesh is celebrated during the month of Bhadrapad and is known as Ganesh Chaturthi. Although Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most widely celebrated festivals, it is not unanimously observed as the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesh. Instead, Ganesh Jayanti in the month of Magh is considered his birth anniversary.
This year, Magh Ganesh Jayanti is being celebrated on January 22-23 in Goa, Maharashtra and Konkan coastal belt, whereas the Bhadrapad Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on September 14 this year.
Special offerings, rituals, prayers
Temples hold special offerings and pujas to seek the blessings of the deity of wisdom, prosperity and new beginnings. In Goa, several temples are celebrating Ganesh Jayanti – Shree Sangram Ganesh temple (Ganeshpuri Mapusa), Shree Vighnaharta Ganpati Sansthan (Margao), Shree Siddhivinayak temple (Bicholim), Shree Ganapati Mandir (Baina), Shree Varad Siddhivinayak temple (Parra) and several Ganesh temples across the State have organised special programmes to celebrate the day with rituals, cultural programmes and plays.
Shree Pimpleshwar Siddhivinayak temple (Altinho) will continue the celebrations till January 25, culminating with a special cultural programme, including devotional music event ‘Abhang Repost’ at 7.30 pm and a donation coupon draw thereafter at GRP Ground at Altinho.
Remover of obstacles
Lord Ganesh, one of the most popular deities among Hindus, is revered as Pratham Pujya (the one who is worshipped first among all deities), as his worship is believed to remove all kinds of obstacles. Apart from Goa, this auspicious day is celebrated in Maharashtra and along the Konkan coast, where Lord Ganesh, the son of Shiva and Parvati, is worshipped with utmost devotion.
“I visited the local Ganesh temple in the morning to pray and offer tilgul as prasad. All members of my family, including men and women, observe a day-long fast on Ganesh Jayanti,” said Rekha Upadhye, who comes from a purohit family in Ponda. She underlined that Ganesh Jayanti is observed as the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesh on Shukla Chaturthi during the Magha lunar month, which usually falls in January or February in the Gregorian calendar.
Temple visits
According to Drik Panchang, the Chaturthi tithi for Ganesh Jayanti began at 2.47 am on January 22 and ended at 2.28 am on January 23. Devotees visited temples to seek the blessings of Lord Ganesh. Sangeeta Brahmabhatt travelled from Goregaon to the Shree Siddhivinayak Temple at Prabhadevi in Mumbai to have darshan of her favourite deity. The temple was decorated with flowers, and devotees offered oranges and pomegranates.
“These two colours are favourites of Lord Ganesh, who is associated with orange-coloured sindoor, the red hibiscus flower and durva (green grass). The idol is also depicted wearing a yellow pitambar and holding a sweet modak,” said Sangeeta, who attended the Madhyahna Ganesh Puja muhurat, considered the most auspicious time for worship.
Temples witnessed a steady flow of devotees between 11.29 am and 1.37 pm. The Abhijit muhurat was brief, from 12.16 pm to 1 pm. Devotees were also advised not to view the moon between 9.22 am and 9.19 pm on the day.
Significance
Ganesha, revered as the remover of obstacles and the deity of wisdom and new beginnings, is worshipped across India and beyond. During Ganesh Jayanti, devotees perform rituals, offer prayers, and seek blessings for prosperity, success, and a smooth path in life. The festival is a time for devotion as well as introspection, symbolising new beginnings and the pursuit of enlightenment and personal fulfilment.
In Goa, devotees began the day early with visits to nearby Ganesh temples. Some also worship the idol or image of Lord Ganesh at home, symbolising his presence in the household. The rituals typically include applying sindoor and turmeric powder to the forehead of the idol or image. Prasad is shared after it is offered to the deity.
Vrat Katha
As the story goes, Lord Krishna was falsely accused of stealing the Syamantaka Mani after he had seen the moon on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi. Later, by worshipping Lord Ganesh and observing the vow prescribed by Sage Narada, Krishna was freed from this false accusation.
