Ganesha Chaturti is the birthday of our delightful and playful Lord of Auspicious Beginnings. In his thousands of names, Ganesha is glorified as the elephant-faced signifier of Om; as Mangala Moorti – the form of auspiciousness; as Vighna Raja – the king (and remover) of obstacles; as Ganapati – the lord of the ganas -- categories or fields or groups -- and hence of all knowledge and wisdom; as Ekadanta – one-tusked because he broke it off to continue inscribing the Mahabharata without any break; and as Umasuta – the son of Uma (Parvati). His auspicious birthday is on the fourth day of the moon’s bright fortnight in the lunar month of Bhadrapada. During his birthday celebration, Ganesha is worshipped in temples or shrines for five, seven, or ten days, and he is then ceremoniously immersed in some parts of India to the shouts of: pudcha varshi lavkar ya – come early next year! Such is the devotee’s love for Ganesha, the first-worshipped deity of the Sanatana Dharma traditions.  

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