Ganesh Chaturthi which begins on September 18 th is the most important religious event in Goa and the Konkan coast. Unlike in Maharashtra in Goa it is essentially a family festival where the blessings of Lord Ganesh are invoked to remove all obstacles to a happy and prosperous year.

OM Shri Ganesha-aya Namah - so begins the prayer to Ganapati, the son of Shiva and Parvati, possibly the most interesting deity in the Hindu pantheon and the iconologist’s delight. All auspicious events begin with an invocation to this deity. Images of Ganesha are therefore found everywhere - on pavements in towns and cities, at the entrance to villages, in small shrines, inside large temples dedicated to other deities, next to carvings of the Saptamatrika (the seven minor mother goddesses), as carvings on pillars, and near Naga or snake stones under the peepul, banyan and other sacred trees.

Ganesha is addressed in hymns and prayers by many names, sometimes eight, sometimes twelve, sometimes sixteen, sometimes thirty-two. Most popularly he is addressed as Ganapati or Ganesha, lord of the ganas or celestial hordes, and as Gajaanana, the one with the face of an elephant. He is also called Vakratunda of the twisted trunk, and Ekadanta, having but one tusk. He is known as Krishna Pingaaksha, one with dark, reddish brown eyes and Gajavaktra, having an elephant’s mouth. He is Lambodara, one with a fat belly, and Vikata, of the monstrous figure. He is addressed as Vighnaraja and Vighneshwara, the king and lord of obstacles as also Vignaharta or Vighnanaashin, the destroyer of obstacles. His smoke-coloured body has given him the name, Dhoomravarna, and his tawny colour, the name Kapila. He is Phaalachandra, sporting the moon crest, and Vinayaka, remover of hindrances. He is also Sumukha, of the auspicious and pleasant visage, Heramba, the five-headed protector of the weak, and Ganaadhyaksha, the leader of the celestial hordes. His large ears resemble the winnow and have given him the name Soorpakarna. He is Skandapoorvaja, older than Skanda, the other son of Shiva and Parvati. He is Akhuratha, with the rat as his chariot, and Siddhidaata, the bestower of success. Whatever the name by which he is addressed, all prayers to Ganesha ask for the removal of obstacles which block the path of the devotee, and for success in all endeavours, whatever be the goal.

A common prayer to Ganapati beseeches him thus:

Vakrathunda mahaakaaya
Sooryakoti samaprabhaa
Nirvighnam kurumedeva
Sarvakaaryeshu sarvadaa

(You of the twisted trunk and the massive body

With the dazzle and light of millions of suns

Lead me on a path that has no obstacles nor hindrances

Clearing the way in all that I do, ever, and always!)

ASHTA VINAYAK
Of these the most important to Ganesha devotees are the eight Ganesha shrines, the Ashta Vinayak. These eight forms of Ganesha are swayambhu, self-made, and not made by man. These images are large single pieces of stone (monoliths) in which traces of an elephant ­head, trunk and Ganapati’s form can be discerned. To the faithful, the powers of these icons are limitless. These eight shrines are located in Maharashtra. The most popular is the one at Morgaon, south-east of Pune, where Ganesha, riding a peacock and taking the form of Mayureshwar or Moreshwar, is believed to have destroyed the demon, Sindhu.

Close to Pune, at Theur, is the image of Ganesha as Chintamani.Ganesha is believed to have got back the precious Chintamani Jewel from the greedy Guna for Sage Kapila at this spot.

At Ranjangaon is the shrine of Ganapati as Mahaganapati. The legend here refers to Shiva worshipping Ganesha before fighting the demon, Tripuraasura.

At Siddhatek stands Ganesha as Siddhivinayak. It was here that Vishnu was reminded to pray to Ganesha before his fight with the demons, Madhu and Kaitab. By doing so, he achieved success, or Siddhi. This icon has a right-turned trunk.

At Ojhar is the shrine of Vighnahara or Vighneshwara, a form taken by Ganesha to destroy a demon named Vighnaasura created by Indra.

At Lenyadri nearby is Ganesha in the form of Girijatmak or Girijatmaja, son of Girija (Parvati). It is believed that Parvati performed penance here to beget Ganapati as her son.

At Pali near the Bombay-Goa road is the shrine of Ballaleshwar, where Ganesha saved his devotee, a boy, Ballal, who was beaten up by villagers for his single-minded worship of Vinayaka.

At Mahad, near Khopoli, is the form of Ganesha as Varad Vinayak, the giver of bounty and success. A lamp, Nandadeep, is kept permanently lighted here and has been shining since 1892.

GOD OF AUSPICIOUSNESS. . . the Beginning of all Beginnings

Ganesha is, in one way, the most complex of concepts.

Ganesha is the embodiment of OM, the symbol of the Great God, and is the delight of the gods and the beloved of humanity. He is the playful god of the young and the great guru of the old. He is the god of auspiciousness, the beginning of all beginnings, the saviour of all that is good.

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