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Lord Ganesha Worshiped in Indonesia
Idol of Lord Ganesha worshiped in Indonesia, Buddhist believe that Ganesha is the remover of obstacles and god of intelligence and learning
Muscat: Tulu Community Celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi with Devotion
Koni Prakash Naik,
The Tulu community of Oman celebrated Lord Ganesha’s festival at the Shiva Temple here recently under the auspices of Shree Ganesh Festival Committee Muscat.
Thousandas of devotees not only from Tulunadu, but from all over India, particularly from Karnataka state, thronged the Shiva temple and partook in the celebrations.
The year 2011 marks the 27th year of celebrations by the Tulu community in Oman.
The three day long celebration commenced on September 1. Ganesh Chaturthi is the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day).
Various pooja rituals like Aarathi, Maha Pooja, Ranga Pooja, Pushparchane, were performed. Devotees sought the blessings of Lord Ganesha by offering 108 coconuts, modaka, laddu, kodu Bale, chakkuli and the like.
The ceremonial couple for the celebration was Mallar Shashidhar Shetty and his wife.
Almost two quintals of fresh flowers of different varieties and colours were flown in from Bangalore, Mangalore and Mumbai. Fresh flower garlands of Mangalore Malige, Roses, Jasmine, Lotus, Kewra, Marigold, Zeenia, etc adorned the idol of Lord Ganesha on all the three days.
Right in front of the Mantap, a beautiful rangoli depicting Panchamukhi Lord Ganesha, was created by Paru Negandhi and Bijal Ved. The Rangoli design was replete with all the symbolic representation and ornate jewellery stones, bejeweled with stone necklaces.
Chauthi Fervor – Devotional Music and Dance
Devotional music strains diffused in the environs of the hall and the air reverberated with melodious keynotes from the harmonium, pulsating beat of the tabla and mridang, clankity clank of cymbals, plucking of strings of veena, rhythmic footsteps coupled with the bells of the anklets .
Popular bhajans like Vandipe Ninage Gana Natha, Jai Jai Ganapati Jai Ganesh, Gaja Mukhane Jayatu Gana Nathane, Mangala Shubhakari Mata Maheshwari, Maje Maher Pandari, Jai Ganesha Jai Ganesha Deva, Prathama Vandana, Namo Sharade, Neenyatako Ninna Hangyatako, Vinayaka Vinayaka, Pavamana, Om Namah Shivaya Om Namah Shivaya, Tuja Magato Mi Aata, Sharanu Sharuvayyo Gana Nayaka, Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma were rendered and the session was concluded with mangala bhajan ‘Jaya Mangalam Nitya Shubha Mangalam.
The hall reverberated with the Vedic Chants by Vaidhyanathan and Group; Shukla Yajur Veda chanting Ghanam by A V Manohar. Devotional music resonated in the air with musical offerings by Om Shree Ganesha Vrinda, disciples of Anita Chandrakant, Meenakshi Group, Mata Amritanandamayi Bhajan Group, Oneness Group, Sai Devotees, Krishna Bhajan Group ,Chinmaya Bala Vihar Group, Maithri Vrinda Group, Divine Spark Group, Art of Living Group, Thyagaraja Samiti ,Muscat, Muscat GSB Group, Hare Krishna Group, Bhakthi Keerthan Mandali, Bharat Natyam dance performances were rendered by the disciples of Padmini Krishnamoorthy, Maithri Vrinda Children, Guru Premila Ramesh and disciples, Mahalakshmi Group and Odissi dance by Shreya Bangera and Group, Veena Recital by Chitra Ravi and disciples.
On all three days, Om Shree Ganesh Vrinda team consisting of Karunakar Rao, Koni Prakash Naik, Ashok Kotian, Kishore Kotemane, Nisha Anil, Prema Umesh, Shuba Bhat, Anil Kumar, Chethana Vishwanath and Driti Ravi Kanchan presented their musical offerings to Lord Ganesha.
The Finale
The finale of the three day celebration was the ritual of immersion. Amidst the repeated and befitting choral chants of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’ the immersion of the idol of Lord Ganesha was conducted.
Traditional Mangalorean cuisine was served as Prasad on all the three days and on the last day after immersion a sumptuous cuisine namely Moode, Payasa, Holige, Chitranna, Kodhel, Saar, Huli/ Sambar, Mosaru/Majjige (Curd/Butter Milk) were served on plantain leaves to all those who were present enhancing the flavour of the festival.
All the arrangements were impeccably coordinated and executed. The committee members along with a number of volunteers contributed to the proceedings of the three day festival with immense devotion. A group of children too volunteered and did their bit efficiently.
Prasada was distributed on all three days, both in the afternoon and night, after the Maha Pooja. It was catered by Raviraj Ballal, Swagath Group of Hotels and Mahesh Shetty.
Kanaksi Khimji and his wife, Sudhir and family and Ashwin Nensey and family were among
the merchant community, Krishnakumar Taori and family among others were present for the pooja.
The committee members, under the able guidance of the convenor Ramesh Shettigar, have impeccably conducted and devoted all their efforts undauntedly towards the proceedings of the three day long festival. The Muscat Ganesh Festival Committee comprises of Prakash Naik Koni, Ramanand Kunder, S K Poojary, Karunakar Rao, Ashok Kotian, Umesh Karkera, Shashidhar Shetty Mallar, Nagesh Shetty, Ravi Kanchan, Mangaldas Kamath, Gurudas Pejathaya, Shreenivas Shriyan, Dr Anchan C K and Kashinath N Anchan.
Source:
http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=114897
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Mauritius to US, Bappa’s devotees across seven seas
Neha Madaan, TNN Sep 9
Pune: In Mauritius, the elephant God is welcomed with dhol-tasha and Konkani dance form ‘jhakris’. In the US, Ganeshotsav brings people together, after the hallowed idol is installed at various public places, housing complexes, and individual homes. Every Ganeshotsav, sea of devotees abroad bring home the elephant God with the same fervour as we do.
Rohan Ambre, a masters’ student of electrical engineering in the Cleveland State University, said, “The long weekend in the US proved to be a blessing as we had people drive down to celebrate the festival with us. With limited resources at our disposal, we try to keep it as simple as possible, which is why we do not have any themes for our decoration in particular. This Ganeshotsav, our aim was to bring together not only the Indian community, but also every devotee of the Lord.”
Ambre said he and his friends tried to bring in new students who recently began their master’s or PhD courses in August, so that they did not miss the festivities back home. “On a personal note, my connection with the festival has been quite deep. My father was associated with the Chinchpokli Ganeshotsav Mandal in Mumbai during his teen, which is why celebrating the festival entices me,” he said.
The ‘pran pratishtha’ of the idol is done with the available resources. “We have a students’ organisation called the Hindu YUVA (Youth for Unity, Virtues and Action) at the university willing to contribute towards the expenses this year. We celebrate the festival for seven days, during which we invite everyone for the ‘aarti’ and recite the ‘atharvasheersha’. The ‘prasad’ is usually made at home, which includes Kheer, Gulab jamun and Modaks,” he said.
According to Priya Mulloo, a working professional, Ganeshotsav is being celebrated in Mauritius since 1982. “Here, the festival is either celebrated in local, regional temples or individual homes. The temple celebration, however, is much preferred. The idols are made of mud and are available at specific places. On the eve, devotees visit temples, perform traditional dance and offer ‘aarti’. On the day of the immersion, we gather at the beach or a lake,” said Mulloo.
Lord Ganesh is pan-Asia favourite
Bhagyashree Kulthe, DNA
Ganesh, the god of wisdom, is a pan-Asia favourite. He appears on everything from currency notes, temples and artefact shops in South-East and Far-East Asia. However, can you imagine Lord Ganesh without a big tummy?
Thailand‘s Ganesh idols and images are slender, compared to the Indian Ganesh, while the Japanese actually worship a twin Ganesh. Though Ganesh is worshipped by Indians settled abroad, the deity is adored and worshipped in many countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and even Bali.
Ganesh is worshipped in most south-east Asian countries. The Indonesian currency note carries the picture of Ganesh.
Even though it is an Islamic republic, they consider Ganesh as the ‘god of success.’ Also, statues of Ganesh from 8th to 11th centuries have been found in Indonesia.
According to information available on various websites, Ganesh is called Kangiten and Ganabachi in Japan. Even in Afghanistan there were many carvings and scriptures on Ganesh, which were later destroyed.
In Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam he is considered the ‘destructor of obstacles’. Ganesh has been a major deity in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam and their iconography are slightly different from the pot-bellied Indian Ganesh. They also have shrines where Ganesh is worshipped.
Nepal, Sri Lanka, the islands of Java and Sumatra have close Hindu connections, as per Hindu mythology. In Malaysia, Thailand and Tibet the deity’s presence is attributed to Buddhism, as Ganesh is considered God Vinayak in that religion.
To some other countries the deity probably reached through traders who travelled from India. International Collectors Society (ICS) president, SR Bhat, who has a collection of several Ganesh idols and images from Cambodia, Japan, Thailand, Nepal and Bali told DNA, “Islands of Java, Sumatra, Bali and countries like Sri Lanka were a part of ancient India. Its mention is found in Indian mythology and epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. So, it is not surprising that Ganesh is worshipped there,” said Bhat.
Bhat got an idol from Thailand which depicted a lean Ganesh. When Bhat asked the Thai shopkeeper about it he replied, “Ganesh goes to see God Shiva to Kailash (the Himalayan mountain ranges, abode of Shiva and Parvati) everyday. How can he be plump?” Ganesh is supposed to be destroyer of evil, the one who removes obstacles (Vignaharta) even in countries other than India, said Bhat. “They therefore worship him more religiously for success of any work,” he added.
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Muscat: Ganesh Chaturthi to be Celebrated at Shiva Temple
Koni Prakash Naik, Muscat
Muscat: Shree Ganesh Festival Committee, Muscat (Tulu Koota) is all set to organize its 27th year of Ganesh Chaturthi festival celebrations from September 1 to September 3 at Shiva Temple, Muscat.
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with a belief that Lord Ganesha, son of Shiva and Parvati, bestows His blessings on His devotees, on this day. It is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the God of wisdom. Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the fourth day of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada.
Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Muscat at Shiva Temple will commence at 9.05 am on September 1, starting with Ganesha Prathistapana, Panchamrita Abhisheka, Gana Homa, followed by various traditional rituals (poojas) / offerings such as Aarathi, Maha Pooja, Ranga Puja etc, and 108 coconuts offering, laddu / modaka / chakkulli offerings etc.
During the three-day festivities a variety of devotional/cultural programmes like Vedic chants, Ganesha Sahasranama Smarane, Bharatnatyam/Odissi dances, dance Ballet, bhajans/devotional songs by different groups, Shukla Yajurveda Ghanam chanting, veena recital etc will be organized.
Shree Ganesh festival is best celebrated with the spirit of enthusiasm for wisdom and knowledge. Ganesh is considered to be the supreme God of wisdom, fortune, prosperity and remover of all obstacles. All the devotees are cordially invited to participate in the celebrations, and be blessed by Lord Siddhi Vinayaka.
Source:
http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=113388
Thousands attend Ganesha celebrations in Hounslow
MORE than 5,000 people flocked to Hounslow‘s Laxmi Narayan Temple over the weekend to celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi, one of the biggest events in the Hindu calendar.
Visitors to the temple in Neville Close, Hounslow, enjoyed prayer sessions, traditional food, dancing and fancy dress throughout Saturday and Sunday.
Sachin Mhapankar, part of the Hounslow Ganeshotsav Mandal organising committee, said it was by far the biggest event hosted by the temple.
“We had people from all over the UK for the celebrations and the final count reached 5-6,000, breaking every record for this temple,” he told the Chronicle.
The festivities ended with a procession to Ham, where the idol of Lord Ganesha – a many-armed god with the head of an elephant, who is said to bring prosperity – was immersed in the Thames.
An estimated 4,000 people joined the procession, with three coaches laid on and 10 police and 50 volunteers helping ensure people’s safety.
Non-resident gods
Durga may be recycled and Diwali celebrated before time, but Indians import their festivals with gusto.
Both Ganeshotsav and Durga Puja are celebrated with much fanfare in the US and UK, two countries with a large population of Indians.
In the UK, the Ganesh festival in Leicester, home to 70,000 Hindus, is a big affair with a 9 ft Ganesha brought in from Mumbai, which is immersed at the end of the 11-day festival in the sea by Liverpool up north.
Ganeshotsav is a relatively low key affair in London. The Siva temple in Wembley celebrates the festival, at the end of which the Ganesh idol is quietly immersed in an undisclosed part of the Thames to avoid the hassle of taking police permission, says a committee member.
The Durga Puja, on the other hand, is held on a far grander scale. The Camden Centre Durga puja in Central London is the largest Indian religious festival outside India, says Shyamal Mukerjee, general secretary of the London Durga Puja Dusserah Committee 2010. Being held every year for the last 48 years, it counts Lakshmi Mittal as one of its chief patrons along with other bigwigs such as Lord Swraj Paul and Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya (a member of the committee that will select the new Tata Group chairman). The idols, which are recycled once every two years, are flown in from Kolkata. They are commissioned by Mittal and specially made by Ramesh Chandra Paul of Kumartuli. On weekdays, over 8,000 people attend. And this number can go up to 14,000 on the weekend.
In the US, the Philadelphia Ganesh Festival is probably the biggest and most popular, attracting over 10,000 visitors. This year it’s being held in Chalfont from September 11 to 21. This is probably the only Ganesh festival in the US to be celebrated over 10 days. A clay Ganesh idol is brought in from India every year, and the immersion done in a pond close to the temple — for which local permits are obtained.
“Ours is not just an event for Marathis, local associations from various states come together to host the event,” says Niranjan Samant, religious committee head of the Philadelphia Ganesh Festival. The event has a budget of around $50,000.
As in the UK, Durga pujas are more popular. There will be over 50 pujas in the US this year — 10 of them in California alone. None of these will necessarily be held on actual puja days, but on weekends close to the puja either because civic permits haven’t come for the actual dates or to better suit the convenience of visitors. (Even the biggest Diwali celebration in the US at New York’s South Street Seaport rarely coincides with the actual festival date. It’s usually a couple of weekends or sometimes even 3-4 weekends before the festival — depending on when the organisers get the permit for their street festival and fireworks display).
Durga pujas here don’t use clay idols; they are usually made of fibre glass/styrofoam, made mostly in Kumartoli, Kolkata, and flown in. The idols are not immersed at the end of the pujas owing to the difficulties in getting permits because of environmental concerns, and so are typically used for 7-8 years. The pandal decoration is done locally.
Most of the big pujas feature cultural entertainment, mostly music, and artists are often brought across from India.
Some of the older, better known pujas in the US are Bengali Society of Florida Puja in Winter Springs (October 9-10), the East Coast Durga Puja in Fresh Meadows, New York (October 14-17, also the oldest Durga puja in the US organised first in 1969), and the Sanskriti Annual Puja in Los Altos, California (October 9-10).
Source: Sify.com
Ganapati goes to Canada, Holland, UK from Pune
Image via Wikipedia
Numerous Ganpati devotees in foreign countries are able to celebrate Ganeshotsav thanks to a man from the city called Bhalchandra Deshmukh. This year, he has sent 930 idols to London in the UK, Canada, Mauritius and Holland.
He claims sending such a large number of idols is a record for the city.
“I am happy that almost all the requirements from foreign countries where Maharashtrians are settled were met this year,” he said.
Deshmukh says people in foreign countries have links to the city and place their orders for the idols six months in advance.
“I made it possible for them to celebrate Ganeshotsav by sending them the idols in time,” he said.
Deshmukh, who sends Ganesh idols overseas every year, is an environment-conscious exporter.
“All my idols are eco-friendly, made with Shadu or plaster of Paris (POP),” Deshmukh said. “Last year I exported about 800 idols and the number is increasing every year.”
Anand Desai, from Desai Bandhu Ambewale, said that from this year they were sending Ganpati idols to the US, the UK and other European countries.
“So far, 20 idols have been booked and we expect to send about 40 Ganesh idols before September 10,” said Desai.
There are also people who send idols to relatives abroad.
Vikrant Jadhav has sent a Ganesh idol to his married sister Anuradha Bawadkar, an IT engineer in Tranto.
“We sent the idol four days ago, and she will celebrate Ganeshotsav with her family,” said Jadhav.
Grahak Peth in Sadashiv Peth has sent 25 Shadu soil idols to the US.
“Many families want to celebrate Ganesh festival at their homes. We have started sending them idols by courier services from last year,” Suryakant Pathak, managing director, Grahak Peth, said.
Uday Joshi, president, Ninad Prathishthan, said that last year they had sent a big idol to Holland for a grand celebration there.
“This year also we are waiting to do the same,” said Joshi.
Ananda Deodhar, a traditional sculptor who makes and sends Ganpati idols every year from the famous Pen village, said many foreign devotees insist on made-in-Pen Ganpati idols as they have faith that these are the best.
Source: Mid-Day
For celebrations on foreign shores, residents send Ganesh idols abroad
For the past two years, Dattatreya Athale and his wife have been visiting their US-based son every Ganeshotsav. But this year they couldn’t due to some other commitments. Still, they have made sure that their son and daughter-in-law are able to celebrate the festival in Dallas with the same fervour.
“Whenever we visited him, we carried a Ganpati idol with us. This year we sent an idol through a courier firm,” said Athale, a retired banker.
Like Athale, there are many Puneites who are sending Ganesh idols to their relatives settled abroad.
Grahak Peth, which deals exclusively in eco-friendly shadu idols, made 12 such bookings in 2009; this year they have received as many as 25 orders till now. “There could be two reasons for the increase in the bookings. Either the festival is gaining popularity in foreign countries with added number of people celebrating it or in the last one year, more people have gone out from India to other places,” said Suryakant Pathak, managing director of Grahak Peth.
Out of the 25 idols that have been booked by Grahak Peth; five have been sent to the US and two to Dubai. Other places where the idols have been sent include Germany, England, France, Italy, etc.
These idols are not too big and bulky, the dealers said.
At Desai Bandhu, another dealer of Ganpati idols, around 50 such idols have already been sold and the outlet expects sell atleast 100 this season. “While some customers have opted for eco-friendly idols, many chose ones made of Plaster of Paris,” said Anand Katti, manager, Desai Bandhu.
To make it easier for the customers, Grahak Peth even tied up with Palande Couriers last week. “This makes it convenient for the customers as after buying the idol they don’t have to look for the courier company to book their parcel,” Pathak said.
“As far as idols are concerned, we are taking special care while packing it. Since it is a fragile item, the packing includes ply boxes, thermocol walls, bubble wrap and other materials,” Kishor Kothe, marketing manager of Palande Couriers, said. Besides Ganesh idols, the other items being sent abroad include aarti CDs and modaks, he said.
Source: Indian Express
