Importance of Ganesha Worship

वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ।

निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥

Worshiping Lord Ganesha is an important aspect of Hinduism, and He is one of the most widely worshipped deities in the religion. Here are some reasons why Lord Ganesha is worshipped:

Lord Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, and is believed to provide protection and guidance to his devotees. His blessings are sought before beginning any new venture or undertaking.

Ganesha is also known as the lord of wisdom, knowledge, and learning. He is considered the patron of arts and sciences, and is often worshipped by students and scholars to seek his blessings for success in their studies.

Ganesha is also believed to be the lord of new beginnings, and is often invoked during important ceremonies like weddings and housewarming rituals to bless the occasion and remove any obstacles.

Ganesha is a popular deity among people of all ages, and his worship is seen as a way to foster devotion, faith, and spiritual growth.

Ganesha is also associated with abundance, prosperity, and good fortune, and is often worshipped for these reasons as well.

Overall, worshiping Lord Ganesha is considered a way to seek his blessings and guidance, and to remove any obstacles that may come in the way of one's spiritual or material progress. His worship is an important part of Hindu tradition and is carried out with great devotion and reverence.

Performing a Ganesha puja is an important aspect of Hindu worship and can be carried out at home or in a temple. Here are some things to keep in mind to take care during Ganesha Puja:

Purity and cleanliness are essential when performing a puja. Wash your hands and feet before starting the puja, and ensure that the puja room and the items used in the puja are clean and free from dust and dirt.

It is important to be respectful and show reverence during the puja. Avoid eating or drinking during the puja, and dress appropriately in modest and clean clothing.

Use fresh flowers and other items for the puja, and avoid using wilted or old flowers. Offerings made during the puja should be fresh and of good quality.

Chanting of mantras is an important aspect of the puja. Ensure that you know the correct pronunciation of the mantras and chants before starting the puja.

Follow the sequence of the puja as per the tradition and custom. If you are not sure of the sequence, you can seek guidance from a priest or an experienced person.

Be mindful of the fire used in the puja. Ensure that the fire is contained in a safe and secure place and that it is not left unattended.

After the puja, distribute the prasad (blessed food) to family members and guests. Prasad should be consumed with respect and gratitude.

Overall, performing a Ganesha puja requires care, attention to detail, and reverence for the deity. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that the puja is conducted in a respectful and meaningful manner.

Here is a general guideline on how to do a Ganesh Puja:

Clean the Puja area: Clean the area where the puja is to be performed, and decorate it with fresh flowers and rangoli.

Take a bath and wear clean clothes before starting the puja.

Place the Ganesha idol: Place the idol of Lord Ganesha in the center of the puja area on a small platform or altar.

Light the ghee lamp and incense sticks. After this, take the resolution of worship (Sankalpa).

Then after meditating on Ganesha, invoke him.

After this give a bath to Ganesha. First bathe with water, then Milk, curd, honey, Ghee, Sugar, Panchamrit (mixture of milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar) and then with pure water. Clean idol with a cloth.

Now offer clothes/Mauli to Ganesh ji.

After this, offer vermilion, sandalwood, flowers and garlands of flowers on the idol of Ganapati.

Offering Durva (grass) to Lord Ganesha is considered an auspicious practice in Hinduism, especially during Ganesh Chaturthi and other Ganesha-related festivals.

There are several reasons why Durva is offered to Ganesha:

According to some Hindu texts, Durva grass represents prosperity and is believed to attract positive energy and good fortune.

It is said that Durva grass has the power to purify the atmosphere and ward off negative energies, which is why it is offered during pujas and rituals.

Lord Ganesha is also known as the lord of the animals, and Durva grass is considered to be the food of cows. Therefore, offering Durva grass to Ganesha is believed to please him and symbolizes respect for all living beings.

In some versions of Hindu mythology, it is said that the three blades of Durva grass represent the three qualities of goodness (sattva), passion (rajas), and ignorance (tamas), which Ganesha is believed to have control over.

Overall, offering Durva grass to Ganesha is considered a way to show devotion and seek blessings for prosperity and success, as well as to seek his protection and remove any obstacles in one's life.

Offering Durva (grass) to Lord Ganesha is a common practice during Hindu puja or worship. Here are the steps for offering Durva to Ganesha:

First, take a few blades of fresh Durva grass and wash them clean with water.

Next, arrange the Durva grass in your hand, holding it by the tips, so that the stalks are pointing towards the right.

Offer the Durva grass to the idol of Lord Ganesha or the picture of Ganesha that you have placed in your puja room. Place the Durva grass at his feet or near the idol.

While offering the Durva grass, chant the Durva grass mantra "Om Durvā Devaya Namaha" (ॐ दुर्वादेवाय नमः) three times.

It is important to note that Durva grass should be fresh and not wilted or dry. Also, make sure to use an odd number of blades of Durva grass, typically three or five, as even numbers are considered inauspicious in Hinduism.

Offer sacred scented incense

Offer sweets (Laddu /Modak) and fruits.

Chant the Ganesha Mantras: Chant the Ganesha mantras like "Om Ganeshaya Namah" or "Vakratunda Mahakaya" or any other Ganesha mantras with devotion and concentration.

Offer Aarti and seek blessings: Offer aarti to Ganesha, seek his blessings

End the puja: After the puja is complete, distribute the prasad among family members and guests.

The use of Tulsa is prohibited in the worship of Lord Ganesha.

Don't wear black clothes in the worship of Ganesha even by mistake. Red or white colored clothes should be worn in their worship.

Three idols of Ganesha should not be kept in your house. On bringing a new idol, the old idol should be made to flow.

The idol of Ganesha should never be kept in the dark. It is not auspicious to see Ganesha in the dark.

While offering Akshat in the worship of Ganesha, keep in mind that it should not be broken.

Offering dry and stale flowers in the worship of Ganesha is considered inauspicious. By doing this, poverty resides in the family.

Overall, performing a Ganesha puja is a way to show reverence and devotion to Lord Ganesha and seek his blessings. By following these guidelines, you can perform the puja with sincerity and devotion. It is important to note that the mantras and specific rituals may vary based on the traditions and customs followed by your family or community.