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The “Vinayaka Chavithi” or “Ganesh Chaturthi” is one of the most celebrated festivals of the Hindus of Andhra Pradesh. Dedicated to Lord Ganesha the God of wealth, wisdom and learning, Vinayaka Chavithi is observed with mush fanfare through out the state of Andhra Pradesh. Lord Ganesha occupies a very prominent position in the Hindu Mythology. Before worshiping any God or Goddess, one should seek the blessing of Lord Ganesha who is believed to deliver eternal blessing to the devotees.
The significance of Vinayaka Chaturthi is that it is the celebration of the birth day of elephant faced Hindu god Ganesh. In some parts of South India (Andhra Pradesh), this festival is celebrated for 10 days. The celebration of the festival ends with the immersion of the idol on Anantha Chaturdashi Day, which is on September 3.
Some of the important aspects of Vinayaka Chaturthi rituals in India are fasting, feasting and distribution of sweets. Modakam (a sweet dish stuffed with jaggery and coconut) is Ganesha's favorite sweet. After the ritual worship, these sweets are distributed as "prasadams" (sacred food) to the people present there.
Lord Ganesh is worshipped first in any prayers. He is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, and the brother of Lord Karthikeya (Subramanya).
The festival of Vinayaka Chavithi is celebrated on a grand scale with mirth and gaiety all over the state. The festival offers the devotees with an opportunity to meet their relatives and friends
Story About Vinaya Chavithi
Once Ganesh and his brother Karthikeyan had a dispute as to who was the elder of the two, and the matter reached their father Lord Shiva. He decided that whoever goes around the world and comes back first will be declared as the winner.
Karthikeya immediately flew on his vehicle, the peacock, to tour around the world, but Ganesha went around His Divine parents, and came back and asked for his prize. The wise Ganesh justified it saying His parents represent the entire manifested universe. Thus, Lord Ganesh became the elder son.
On one of His birthdays, Ganesha was going around house to house accepting his favorite offerings of sweet dishes. Suddenly his vehicle, the mouse stumbled down seeing a snake and Lord Ganesh fell down, which made the moon laugh at him. Annoyed, he cursed the moon that no one should look at the moon on the Ganesh Chaturthi day. If anyone does, he will earn a bad name.
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