Gowri Ganesha Festival 2023: Find Out The Story Behind This Puja!

Have you ever heard of Gowri Ganesha Puja? Well, it’s a vibrant and joyous festival celebrated with immense enthusiasm in many parts of India. You will get to see vibrant colours and mesmerising decorations. Also, the sound of religious chants fills the air. We dedicate this auspicious occasion to Goddess Gowri. It embodies purity and power to her son, Lord Ganesha, who removes obstacles.

Moreover, people come together to invoke their blessings for a prosperous and obstacle-free life. The festivities involve rituals, beautiful pandals with God’s statue, and delightful feasts. So, get ready to immerse yourself in the spirit of devotion! Know when is gowri ganesha festival. Let’s join hands, open our hearts, and witness the magic of Gouri Ganesha Puja unfold before our eyes!

Gowri Ganesha Puja Starting date: September 17, 2023 (Sunday)

Gowri Ganesha Puja Ending date: September 18, 2023 (Monday)

Puja Muhurat/Timing: 06:07 AM to 08:34 AM

What is Gowri Ganesha Festival? 

Hindus in India celebrate Gowri Ganesha Puja, a joyful and auspicious festival. It honours the divine deities, Goddess Gowri and Lord Ganesha. The festival typically takes place in the months of August or September. It is also known as Gowri Habba. It highlights the importance of Goddess Gowri’s homecoming. This creates a festive atmosphere around the celebration.

People primarily observe Gowri Ganesha Puja in the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. It is a time when people come together to worship and seek blessings from the Goddess and Lord Ganesha. It offers the devotees prosperity, happiness, and success. Moreover, on this day, people clean their homes and decorate them with colourful flowers and rangoli. They also set up an altar or a special place where they can perform the puja (prayer ritual).

Furthermore, the puja begins by placing the clay idols, or images of Goddess Gowri and Lord Ganesha, in the pandal. Devotees offer prayers, light lamps, and incense sticks and offer fruits and sweets as offerings to the Lord. Additionally, during the puja, the priest or the head of the house conducts various rituals. This is done to invoke the blessings of Goddess Gowri and Lord Ganesha. The devotees sing devotional songs and seek the divine couple’s grace and protection.

The Story Behind Celebrating Gowri Ganesha Puja

People celebrate Gowri Ganesha Puja to honour the Goddess Gowri and Lord Ganesha. The festival has an interesting story behind it. Goddess Gowri, also known as Goddess Parvati, is the wife of Lord Shiva. According to Hindu mythology, Goddess Gowri wanted to visit her parents’ home on Earth. So, she expressed her desire to Lord Shiva, who later gave her permission to go.

Goddess Gowri then set out on her journey and arrived at her parents’ house. Her parents were overjoyed to see her and welcomed her with love and affection. They celebrated her homecoming by organising a grand feast and inviting relatives and friends. Feeling lonely and missing his mother, Lord Ganesha decided to visit her. He disguised himself as a young boy and reached his grandparents’ home.

Lord Ganesha arrived, but Goddess Gowri didn’t recognize him. However, she warmly welcomed him, and Lord Ganesha felt delighted with his mother’s love. Later, when Lord Shiva came to take Goddess Gowri back, he revealed Lord Ganesha’s true identity. Goddess Gauri was thrilled and surprised to welcome her own son Ganesha. Since then, the tradition of celebrating Gowri Ganesha Puja has begun. It symbolises the reunion of Goddess Gowri with her parents and Lord Ganesha’s love for his mother. 

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Significance of Gauri Ganesh Puja

People celebrate Gauri Ganesh Puja in honour of Goddess Gowri and Lord Ganesha. They observe this puja mainly in the Indian state of Karnataka and other parts of South India. This puja usually occurs a day before the popular festival of Ganesh Chaturthi.

Moreover, people believe that the puja holds great importance as it brings prosperity and good fortune. They worship Goddess Gowri as the embodiment of motherhood and marital bliss, seeking her blessings for a happy and prosperous married life. Additionally, they revere Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity, as the remover of obstacles and the lord of wisdom and intelligence. They believe that by worshipping him during this puja, they will attain success, knowledge, and wisdom.

Conducting Gowri Ganesha Puja has several benefits. Firstly, it helps in purifying the mind and soul, creating a positive and auspicious atmosphere. Devotees believe that the puja rituals and prayers invoke the divine energies of Gowri and Ganesha, thereby granting them blessings. Families also come together during this occasion to strengthen their bond with each other. 

Furthermore, the celebration of the Gowri festival aims to seek the divine energies of Goddess Gowri and Lord Ganesha. Conducting this puja, devotees receive their blessings for a prosperous and successful life. The puja brings spiritual, emotional, and social benefits. It fosters devotion, unity, and happiness in the house. 

Rituals during Gowri Ganesha Puja 

People follow several rituals during the Gowri Ganesh Puja or Festival to invoke the blessings of Goddess Gowri and Lord Ganesh. Here are some of the main rituals observed during this auspicious occasion:

1. Cleaning the house and setting up the idols: The first step involves cleaning the entire house to make it pure and welcoming for the deities. People install idols of Goddess Gowri and Lord Ganesh on a decorated altar or a designated place. They adorn the idols with flowers, garlands, and jewellery. 

2. Offering prayers: Devotees offer prayers to the deities by reciting  Ganapati Atharvashirsha and singing hymns. They light incense sticks and diya (oil or ghee lamps). People also offer turmeric, kumkum, and vermilion to the picture of Goddess Gowri while chanting her name. 

3. Performing the Ganesh Puja: A special puja is conducted for Lord Ganesh. We seek his blessings for the successful completion of all desires and the removal of difficulties and negativity. 

4. Performing the Gowri Puja: After the Ganesh Puja, the Gowri Puja takes place, where prayers are offered to Goddess Gowri, the mother of Lord Ganesh. People perform this puja to seek her blessings for marital bliss and prosperous family life. 

5. Singing and dancing: Cultural activities like singing devotional songs (bhajans) and performing traditional dances are also part of the festivities. Narrate stories or legends related to Goddess Gowri and Lord Ganesha, emphasising their virtues and significance.

6. Visiting relatives and friends: It is compulsory to visit friends and relatives during this festival. People exchange greetings and seek the blessings of elderly people in the family. 

7. Ceremonial Immersion of Idols (Visarjan): At the end of the festival, the idols of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Gowri are immersed in water bodies. It symbolises the departure of the deities while seeking their return the following year. 

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Conclusion 

As the festival of happy Gowri Ganesha festival draws near, all of us can’t help but feel excited and eagerly await its arrival. None of us can wait to decorate our homes with beautiful colours, prepare tasty sweets, and come together with our loved ones for prayers and celebrations. We eagerly anticipate the presence of Goddess Gouri and Lord Ganesha, filling the air with enthusiasm and zeal. 

Moreover, if you’re also eagerly waiting for this special festival and want to learn more about the rich traditions and rituals of Indian celebrations. We encourage you to visit the InstaAstro website. There, you’ll discover a lot of information about various festivals celebrated in India and the important rituals. Take this opportunity to expand your knowledge and immerse yourself in the vibrant cultural heritage of our nation. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

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