HAPPY DIWALI

       

       

Ganpati Bappa Morya

Ganesh Utsav 2011 at Home

May Lord Ganesha Bless Us All

Ganesh Chaturthi

ll श्री गणेशाय नमः ll

"Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha Nirvignam Kurume Deva Sarva Karyeshu Sarvada"

Today is Ganesh Chaturthi. It is celebrated  on the 4th day of the Hindu month Bhadrapad. This festival marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha. This festival is celebrated with great devotion all over India, especially in Maharashtra & Gujarat. Lord Ganesha is one of the most popular deities in Hindu Religion. Ganpati is the Lord of wisdom. Any puja marks a beginning by worshiping Lord Ganpati. Puna in Maharashtra holds a cultural festival during these days. In 1893 freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak popularized Ganesh Chaturthi as a national festival and encouraged this festival into a public event. 

People bring home clay idols of Lord Ganesha and celebrate the festival by worshiping the Lord in a special way for a day and a half, 5 days, 7 days or 11 (till anant Chaturdashi) days depending on the family tradition and commitment of each individual. The main sweet dish during the festival is Modak - a dumpling made of rice flour stuffed with coconut, jaggery, cardamon and dry fruits. On the last day of worship the idol is taken out in a traditional procession to be immersed in water.

The Ganesh Festival at Lalbaug, Mumbai is very famous on. Below is the album of this Ganesh Utsav from year 1934 onwards. Worth viewing pictures.

Year 1934

Year 1935

Year 1936

Guru Purnima

"Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu Guru Devo Maheswara;

Gurur Sakshat Para Brahma Thasmai Sri Gurave Namaha"

Guru is Brahma, Guru is Vishnu, and Guru is Maheswara. In this world, everything is a manifestation of Divinity. All are the embodiments of Divinity. In fact, all that we see is nothing but the Divine Cosmic Form (Viswa Virat Swarupa).

Today is Guru Purnima. 

Guru Purnima is celebrated on the Full Moon Day (Purnima) of the Hindu Calendar Month 'Aashad'. It is celebrated by worshipping our Spiritual Guru. It is one of the most sacred festival in India and the day is considered to be extremely auspicious and holy day. 

It is also known as Vyas Purnima in remembrance of Sage Ved Vyasa, the Guru who wrote the great epic 'Mahabharat'. Sri Ved Vyasa  was born on this day. He completed the codification of the four Vedas on this day and also completed the writing of the eighteen puranas on this day. It was also on this day that the Buddha attained enlightenment and taught his disciples. Hindus and Buddhists both celebrate this day. 

Mother's Day

The Second Sunday of May is celebrated as Mother's Day.

Below is a wonderful poem.

Mother's Love
A Mother's love is something
that no on can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendoured miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand.


- Helen Steiner Rice

A beautiful Song Sung by Kailash Kher - Maa - from Dasvidania 

Akshaya Tritiya

Akshaya Tritiya also known as Akha Teej, falls on the third day of the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the lunar month of Vaisakha (Baisakh) according to Hindu Calendar. Hindus consider it as one of the most auspicious day of the traditional Hindu calendar. 

Astologically it is believed that on this day Moon, Sun and Jupiter come under Mrigshira Nakashtra. Sun and Moon are in exalted positions on this day and they both glow at their brightest level, indicating the auspiciousness of the day.

Hindu’s consider these Lunar Days as most auspicious which are collectively called as Sade-Teen Muhurats (Hindu Electional Astrology).

-   1^st Day of Shukla Paksh of Chaitra, i.e. Gudi Padwa

-   3^rd Day of Shukla Paksh of Vaishakh, i.e., Akshaya Tritiya

-  10^th Day of Shukla Paksha of Ashvina, i.e., Vijayadashmi / Daserra

- & Half Muhurat is the  1^st Day of Shukla Paksha of Kartikka, i.e, 1^st day of Vikram Samvat Calendar, which is Gujarati New Year Day.

Why is it Important?