Ganesh Puja, particularly during Ganesh Chaturthi, is a significant Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha. The puja is a detailed ritual that invites the deity into one’s home and life, seeking his blessings for prosperity, wisdom, and the removal of obstacles. Here is a guide to the puja vidhi (ritual procedure) and important mantras.
Ganesh Puja Preparation
Before beginning the puja, it’s essential to prepare the space and gather all the necessary items.
- Cleanliness: Clean and purify the puja area and your home.
- Idol Placement: Place the idol of Lord Ganesha on a clean, raised platform or altar. The idol should ideally face the east or north direction.
- Decoration: Decorate the area with flowers, mango or banana leaves, and rangoli. Use lights and lamps to create a divine atmosphere.
- Puja Items: Prepare an array of offerings, including:
- Flowers: Red hibiscus flowers and marigold garlands are particularly beloved by Lord Ganesha.
- Durva Grass: A bundle of 21 blades of Durva grass is a special offering.
- Sweets: Modaks are considered Lord Ganesha’s favorite sweet and are a mandatory offering. Other sweets like laddoos can also be offered.
- Other offerings: Incense sticks, lamps (diya), fruits, coconut, betel leaves, betel nuts, sandalwood paste, vermilion (sindoor), and new clothes or a piece of cloth for the idol.
The 16-Step Ganesh Shodashopachara Puja
The core of the Ganesh Puja is the Shodashopachara ritual, a 16-step process of honoring and serving the deity as a revered guest.
- Avahana (Invocation): Invite Lord Ganesha to be present in the idol.
- Prana Pratishtha (Energizing the Idol): A ritual to invite the divine presence to reside within the idol.
- Asana (Offering a Seat): Offer a seat to the Lord.
- Padya (Washing Feet): Symbolically wash the Lord’s feet with water.
- Arghya (Washing Hands): Offer water to wash his hands.
- Achamana (Sipping Water): Provide water for sipping.
- Snana (Bathing): Bathe the idol with water, Panchamrit (a mixture of milk, curd, ghee, honey, and sugar), and then with fresh water.
- Vastra (Clothing): Offer new clothes or a fresh piece of cloth to the idol.
- Yajnopavita (Sacred Thread): Offer the sacred thread.
- Gandha (Sandalwood Paste): Apply sandalwood paste or fragrance to the idol.
- Pushpa (Flowers): Offer fresh flowers and garlands.
- Dhupa (Incense): Light and offer incense sticks.
- Deepa (Lamp): Light and wave a lamp (diya or aarti).
- Naivedya (Food Offering): Offer food, especially modaks, fruits, and other sweets.
- Tambula (Betel Leaves): Offer betel leaves with betel nuts.
- Aarti and Pradakshina: Perform Aarti (waving of the lamp while singing devotional songs) and then do Pradakshina (circumambulation) of the idol.
Ganesh Puja Essential Mantras
Mantras are a crucial part of the puja, as they are believed to invoke positive energy and a connection with the divine.
- Ganesha Invocation Mantra:
- “Om Gan Ganapataye Namah”
- This is one of the most widely used and powerful mantras for Ganesha. It is chanted to invoke his blessings and clear obstacles.
- Vakratunda Mahakaya Mantra:
- “Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha, Nirvighnam Kurume Deva Sarva-Kaaryeshu Sarvada”
- This mantra is chanted to seek Ganesha’s blessings for the successful completion of any task or new beginning. It means, “O Lord with the curved trunk and a great body, whose brilliance is equal to a million suns, please make my undertakings free of obstacles, always.”
- Other Mantras:
- “Om Vakratundaya Hum”
- “Om Namo Bhagavate Gajanana”
- Mantras specific to each step of the puja are also chanted. For example, during the offering of water for feet washing, one might chant, “Padyam Grihana Devesha, Sarva-Kshema-Samartha, Bhoh! Bhaktya Samarpitam Deva, Gana-Pate! Namoastu Te.”
Ganesh Puja Daily Rituals and Visarjan
- Daily Worship: During the 10-day festival, devotees perform morning and evening aarti, offer fresh flowers and modaks, and sing bhajans.
- Ganesh Visarjan: The festival culminates with the Visarjan (immersion) of the idol in a water body, symbolizing Lord Ganesha’s return to his divine abode. During this procession, devotees chant, “Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya,” which translates to “O Lord Ganesha, come early next year!”