Tag Archives: Ganesh Chaturthi

The Symbolism of Ganesha

ganesh chaturthi


The essence of Ganesha is brought out beautifully by Adi Shankara.
Though Ganesha is worshiped as the elephant-headed God, the form (swaroop) is just to bring out the formless (parabrahma roopa) .
He is, ‘Ajam Nirvikalpam Niraakaaramekam.’ This means Ganesha is Ajam (unborn), he isNirvikalpa(attributeless), he is Niraakaar (formless) and he symbolizes the consciousness which is omnipresent.
Ganesha is the same energy which is the reason for this universe. It is the energy from which everything manifests and into which everything will dissolve.

We are all familiar with the story of how Ganesha became the elephant-headed God.
Parvati became dirty when she was celebrating with Shiva. When she realized this, she removed the dirt from her body and created a boy out of it. She then asked him to keep guard while she bathed.
When Shiva returned, the boy did not recognize him and obstructed his passage. So Shiva chopped off the boy’s head and entered.
Parvati was shocked when she saw this. She explained to Shiva that the boy was their son and pleaded with Shiva to save him at all costs.
Shiva then instructed his helpers to go and get the head of someone who was sleeping with their head pointing to the north. The helpers then got the head of an elephant, which Shiva affixed to the boy’s torso and Ganesha was born!

Does this story sound strange?
Why should Parvati have dirt on her body?
Didn’t the all-knowing Shiva recognize His own son?
Was Shiva, the epitome of peace, so short-tempered that he cut off the head of his own son? And why an elephant head on Ganesha?
There is a deeper meaning to all this.

Parvati is symbolic of festive energy. Her becoming dirty signifies that celebration can easily become Rajasik, or feverish and can take you away from your center. Dirt is symbolic of ignorance, and Shiva is symbolic of the Supreme Innocence, Peace and Knowledge.
So when Ganesha obstructs the path of Shiva, this means that ignorance, which is an attribute of the head, does not recognize knowledge. Then knowledge has to overcome ignorance. This is the symbolism behind Shiva chopping off the boy’s head.

And why the elephant head?

Elephant represents both gyan shakti and karma shakti.
The principle qualities of the elephant are wisdom and effortlessness. The enormous head of the elephant signifies Wisdom and Knowledge.
So, when we worship Lord Ganesha these elephant qualities within us are kindled and we take on these qualities.

Ganesha’s big belly represents generosity and total acceptance. Ganesha’s upraised hand, depicting protection, means, ‘Fear not, I am with you’, and his lowered hand, palm facing outwards means endless giving as well as an invitation to bow down, this is symbolic of the fact that we will all dissolve into earth one day.
Ganesha also has a single tusk which signifies one-pointedness. Even the implements Ganesha wields are symbolic.
He carries in his hands, the ‘Ankusa’ (signifying awakening) and the ‘Paasa’ (signifying control). With awakening, a lot of energy is released, which without proper control, can go haywire.

And why does Ganesha, the elephant-headed God travel on something as small as a mouse? Isn’t that so incongruous? Again there is symbolism that runs deep.
The mouse snips and nibbles away at ropes that bind. The mouse is like the mantra which can cut through sheaths and sheaths of ignorance, leading to the ultimate knowledge represented by Ganesha!

Our ancient Rishis were so deeply intelligent that they chose to express Divinity in terms of symbols rather than words, since words change over time, but symbols remain unchanged.
Let us keep the deep symbolism in mind as we experience the omnipresent in the form of the elephant God, yet be fully aware that Ganesha is very much within us. This is the wisdom we should carry as we celebrate Ganesh Chaturti.

Source – Art of Living Website

Ganesh Mandal’s initiative to counter terrorism

Ayub Sheikh, the founder member of the Vijay Tarun Mandal says

“No Muslim should feel offended or hurt by the video that will be screened at our pandal. The menace of youths joining terrorist organisations is not a social work. We should create an awareness against it, which is the need of the hour”.

Mandal president Nadeem Aaga also seconded his opinion.

Indian Youth in ISIS

The Maharashtra Police on Thursday denied permission to a Ganesh mandal’s plan to screen a video on the four Kalyan youths who are believed to have joined the Islamic State (IS). The mandal’s counsel Bhikaji Salvi, however, claimed that they secured a stay order from the Bombay High Court against the police action.

The police served the notice to the Kalyan-based Vijay Tarun Mandal, asking it to delete a major portion of the 10-minute video if it wants to go ahead with the screening. The video clip reportedly seeks to garner public opinion on the issue of Muslim youths being indoctrinated by Islamic extremists.

Mandal organisers claimed that they had been debating “social and contemporary topics and displaying related visuals” at pandals for the past 51 years. As per the rules, the organisers of Ganesh festivities have to seek permission from the police and will also have to explain to them in detail the theme of the show. The police in their notice said that the content of the video footage would hurt the sentiments of other communities and create a law and order problem.

However, the pandal organisers claimed that the show was intended to create social awareness. “The show was intended to create awareness on the problem of youths being indoctrinated by Islamic extremists. They make these youths abandon their studies and carry out terrorist activities across the world,” said Vijay Salvi, one of the trustees of Vijay Tarun Mandal.

Mandal members

Vijay Tarun Mandal, according to organisers, has members belonging to both Hindu and Muslim communities.

“No Muslim should feel offended or hurt by the video that will be screened at our pandal. The menace of youths joining terrorist organisations is not a social work. We should create an awareness against it, which is the need of the hour,” said Ayub Sheikh, the founder member of the Vijay Tarun Mandal. Mandal president Nadeem Aaga also seconded his opinion.

Mandal counsel Salvi said the organisers would remove the image of mosque from the poster as it was the place of worship. “This shows that Vijay Mandal has more respect for Muslims’ place of worship. At the same time, these misled youth believe that they would go to heaven by becoming a jehadi. Whether one goes to heaven or not is decided by their deeds, and I personally do not think heaven would welcome these misguided youths,” said Sheikh.

Several awards

Vijay Tarun Mandal has reportedly received several awards and recognitions from the police for organising disciplined and peaceful Ganesh festivities.

Arif Majeed, one of the four youngsters from Kalyan suspected of joining Sunni insurgents in Iraq, reportedly died in a bomb blast in Mosul a few days ago.

Although Maharashtra ATS and Thane police have no official confirmation of his death, Arif’s family performed ‘Janaza-e-gayabana’ (prayers for the departed soul in absence of the body) on Wednesday, a family friend Ateek Khan told agencies.

As per reports, Shaheen Tanki, who along with Arif, Fahad Tanvir Sheikh and Aman Naim Tandel, had disappeared during a trip to Iraq in May, called his family on Tuesday and informed them about his death.

According to sources, the Thane police said till they receive official confirmation about the death of Arif, they would continue to treat the matter as a missing case. However, an officer in Maharashtra ATS, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “There is no reason to disbelieve the information about Arif’s death in a bomb blast in Iraq.”

Source Yahoo News India