New Worlds of Body, Mind & Spirit Since 1901
| The Festival of Ganesh dates back to early India. People celebrate it with performances of poetry, plays, music, and dances. Ganesh is the son of Shiva and Parvati. Usually portrayed as a boy with the head of an elephant, he brings wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune. He aslo has the ability to remove obstacles. At the end of the festival, he carries away the misfortunes of his devotees. In India, temporary statues of Ganesh are worshipped with elaborate ceremonies, then ritually disposed in rivers. Elsewhere it is more common to keep a permanent statue of brass or wood, and to use simpler offerings such as sandalwood incense. We can act in the spirit of the day, and say a prayer such as:
"Ganesh, lend me your wisdom that I may find good fortune by making the right decisions. At the close of your festival, take my misfortunes with you to your home in Kailash and scatter them on the winds." |
© This page is for the enjoyment of visitors to Llewellyn.com, and is the copyrighted intellectual property of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd. You may post a link to this page, but no part of it may be used or reproduced without permission.
