Ganesha Festival

Ganesha festival is a custom we follow. This day is called "Ganesh Chaturthi" and we don't look at the moon because otherwise we will have bad fate coming ahead of us.

We ask lord Ganesha to bless us with the best education and good behavior. We pray for forgiveness from doing atrocious things. Ganesha destroys obstacles from people's lives. Ganesha's head is a little unusual because he has an elephant head and a snake tied to his belly as a belt and goes around on his mouse.

Here is a short story on how he got his elephant head

Ganesha was made by Parvathi, who made him out of clay. Parvathi then used her powers that could make clay come to life. She told her son (Ganesha) to guard the house while she took a bath and not to let any one in. So, While she was taking a bath, lord Shiva came. Ganesha didn't know that Shiva was his father neither did Shiva know that Ganesha was his son.

Shiva tried to get inside the house but Ganesha did not let him in and said "My Mother Parvathi is taking a bath and no one can enter."

"Well this is my house and Parvathi is my wife. So, Let me in." said Shiva.

"No!" said Ganesha.

"Okay fine ! either battle me or let me go inside." said Shiva.

"I want to battle." said Ganesh.

So, Shiva and Ganesha battled. In the battle, Shiva cut off Ganesha's head. At that moment, Parvathi came running out of the house and saw Ganesha's body without the head and Shiva with his bloody weapon.

Parvathi burst into tears and cried "Oh Shiva ! you have destroyed my creation . You have killed your own son."

Shiva tried to console Parvathi but he couldn't console her"

"Shiva I will talk to you if you find my son a head" said Parvathi.

"Okay whatever my dear" said Shiva.

Shiva ordered his crew to find a head of a baby animal that has eaten stomach full and napping without its mommy. So, Shiva's crew found a baby elephant's head and gave it to Shiva.

"Parvathi, Here is a head." said Shiva.

"Well, I was not expecting a elephant's head but atleast it is a head" said Parvathi

Parvathi used her magical powers to put the head on Ganesha and brought him back to life.

This is how Ganesha got an elephant head.

For the pooja, We made nature friendly clay model of Ganesha. Me and My friend with the help of our moms made it on a weekend. 3 days before Chaturthi day. It was really fun making the Ganesha together.

The clay Ganesha was placed in the pooja room on Chaturthi day. Me and Kruthi did pooja for Ganesha in the evening. I wore a traditional langa for the pooja. First, We did arishina and kumkuma pooja. Second, we did abhisheka and then we chanted all 101 names of Ganesha. Finally my dad told the story of "Why we celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi" and then we bid "Good Bye" to Ganesha.