Skip to main content

Reading Notes: Pattanaik's 99 Thoughts On Ganesha Part C

Part VI

  • Temples
    • Rock Fort
      • Dedicated to Ganesha and Shiva
      • Ganesha rooted to this spot because Vibhishana struck him on the head at this point
      • The British fortified the temple which gives it it's name
    • Ashtavinayak
      • Eight shrines
        • Moreshwar Temple at Morgaon
          • Ganesha mounted on a peacock killed demon Sindhu
        • Sidhivinayak of Siddhatek
        • Ballaeshwar of Pali
        • Varadavinayak of Mahad
        • Chintamani of Theur
        • Girijatmaj of Lenyadru
        • Vighnahar of Ozar
        • MahaGanesha of Ranjangaon
      • Pilgrimage to all these places and then back to the first
      • Trunk to left on all Ganesha's except one at Siddhatek
    • Puri Elephant
      • Houses Krishna, Subhadra, and Balbhadra
      • During the bathing ceremony, Snana-yatra, Krishna and Balbhadra are placed in elephant dress they become black and white elephants.
Part VII
  • Festivals
    • Autumn
      • Ganesha and Gauri are worshipped twice (In the Spring and Autumn)
      • Ganesh Chaturthi celebrated on the fourth day of the waxing moon
        • Ten days
      • After this is Pitr Paksha
        • Ancestors worshipped 
      • Then nine nights of Navaratri
      • And the five days of Diwali
      • Clay Ganesha bought into house worshiped and then immersed into water
    • Spring
      • Ganesha Jayanti celebrated on fourth day of the waxing moon
      • Considered Ganesha's birthday
      • Worshiping image of Ganesha then eventually immersed in water
    • Chaturthi
      • Fourth moon associated with Ganesha
      • Fourth day of the waxing moon is called Vinayakichaturthi
        • Worshiping Ganesha on this day brings success
      • Fourth day of the waning moon is known as Sankashtichaturthi
        • Averts disasters
    • Pancha Ganesha
      • Five day festival 
      • Replacement Christmas
      • Never heard of it
Part VIII
  • Rituals
    • Cyclical
      • Ganesha idols made with clay
      • Represented symbolically by lump of turmeric or red sandal paste on a betel leaf
      • Then ducked into water
      • Cyclical nature of life
      • Nothing in the universe is permanent
      • Everything is changing 
    • Two Gauris
      • Two Gauris bought into house
    • No moon
      • Devotees of Ganesha avoid looking at the moon on days that he is worshipped
    • Pillaiyar Suzhi
      • Ganesha circle drawn on paper before writing anything on it
    • Hibiscus Flowers
      • Looks like a "blood drenched womb"
      • Sacred to both Shakti and Ganesha
    • Blades of Grass
      • Purifies the ritual performer
      • Represents power of renewal and regeneration 
    • Vegetation
      • Ganesha embodies of the fruit of farming
    • Bija Mantra
      • Devottes chant "Om Gan Ganeshaya Namaha" 108 times
      • Supposed to still the mind, calm the breath, and lead towards a direct communication with Ganesha
    • Yantra
      • Ganesha's geometric form representation
        • An upward triangle
        • An upward and downward triangle crisscrossing
          • Six pointed star
        • A dot or bindu
    • Vishwaksena
      • Invoked at start of most Hindu rituals
      • Sometimes it is Vishwaksena instead of Ganesha
Part IX
  • Literature
    • Ganesha Purana
      • Tells how to express devotion towards Ganesha
      • Narrates the tales of Ganesha
    • Mudgala Purana
      • Describes eight incarnations of Ganesha
    • Ganesha Gita
      • Ganesha is the supreme being
    • Maha Ganesha Upanishad
      • Philosophical speculations
Rock Fort Temple

Bibliography:

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction To a Future Architect

My name is Trishna Patel and I'm a second year architecture major. My main hobby (if you can consider it one) is watching tv mostly tv shows, documentaries, and anime. I also like to watch movies. Mostly action and sci-fi movies but also ones based off of real life stories. I absolutely love all the Marvel movies and the Harry Potter movies. I also like to read books mostly young adult and romance books. If I'm not doing either of the two I'm usually in my studio classroom in Gould Hall doing whatever project I was assigned. Picture of Gould Hall that houses OU's College of Architecture Washington Times This summer I went on vacation in Africa. My dad was born in Zambia and spent most of his childhood there so he wanted to show us the place he grew up in. We spent two days in Lusaka where he was born, and then we went to Livingston where we saw Victoria Falls. We also spent some time in Tanzania where we took a day hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro and a week long sa