Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most eagerly awaited festivals, especially in Maharashtra. It’s dedicated to worshipping Lord Ganesha, the son of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. People celebrate the occasion with music, dance, and worshipping the lord. They also give their loved ones Ganesh Chaturthi gifts like Ganesha idols, sweets, etc.
Lord Ganesha is one of the most loved and revered gods in Hinduism and is known by many names. People call him Ganpati Bappa, Ganesh Ji, and Vighnaharta, meaning the remover of obstacles. Lord Ganesha is also a symbol of good luck and auspiciousness.
As Ganesh Chaturthi is only a few days away, let’s celebrate the festival by learning 10 facts about Lord Ganesha. Read on:
Table of Contents
1. Worshipped in Buddhism
We all know that Ganesh ji is worshipped in Hinduism and loved by all. But did you know that he is also worshipped in Buddhism? In Buddhism, Lord Ganesha is known as Vinayaka and is worshipped in many countries like Japan, China, and Tibet. He is known as Vinayakaten or Kangiten in Japanese. There’s also a stone statue of the Lord Ganesha in China that dates back to 531 AD.
2. Who wrote the Mahabharata?
Lord Ganesha originally wrote Mahabharata. Sage Vyasa found that Lord Ganesha would understand the Mahabharata. Hence, Vyasa asked Lord Ganesha to pen down the Mahabharata without interruption as he recited it. While writing the Mahabharata, Lord Ganesha’s feather quill had broken down, and because he had to write without interruptions, he broke his tusk to use as a pen for writing.
3. How was Lord Ganesha born?
The story of the birth of Lord Ganesha is an interesting one. According to the Shiva Purana, Goddess Parvati’s friends Jaya and Vijaya had suggested she make Lord Ganesha, as Nandi and others were loyal to her consort, Lord Shiva. Maa Parvati also wanted someone to be loyal to her. And so, she created Lord Ganesha from the dirt of her body.
According to another story, Goddess Parvati kept a fast and wished for a baby boy. Her wish was granted as an incarnation of Lord Krishna as Lord Ganesha was born.
4. Was Lord Ganesha married?
In South India, his worshippers believe that Lord Ganesha was a Brahmacharya, unmarried. According to some scriptures, Lord Ganesha was married to the twin sisters, Riddhi, the Goddess of prosperity, and Siddhi, the Goddess of intellect. Riddhi bore him a son, Shubha, representing auspiciousness, and Siddhi also bore him a son, Labha, representing profit.
5. What is the story of Lord Ganesha and Tulsi?
According to the Brahmavarta Purana, Tulsi Devi saw Lord Ganesha meditating near the banks of the river Ganga. She was mesmerized by the lord and asked if he would marry her. But Lord Ganesha replied that he never wanted to get married. This angered Tulsi Devi and she cursed Lord Ganesha that he would get married very soon. In return, Lord Ganesha also cursed Tulsi to remain a plant forever. Did you know about this interesting fact about Ganesha?
6. Why did Lord Ganesha get angry at the Moon?
Lord Ganesha is usually known for his calm, friendly, and peaceful nature. But, he got very angry once when the Moon made fun of his big belly. Lord Ganesha then cursed the Moon, saying whoever sees the Moon on Ganesh Chaturthi will be blamed falsely. This is why many people believe in not looking at the Moon on this festival.
7. What is the meaning of Gajamukha or Gajanana?
Gaja is a Sanskrit word that denotes elephant; Ganesh ji is also called Gajanana or Gajamukha. But, even the word Gaja has a deeper meaning. ‘Ga’ means gati, the final goal towards which the universe moves. And, ‘Ja’ means janma, so the word Gaja means it’s the God from whom the world has come out and within whom everything will dissolve.
8. Banana tree wife
This story is believed widely in West Bengal. According to the story, Goddess Parvati was devouring her food when Lord Ganesha asked about her plight. The Goddess asked in return, what if his wife doesn’t give him enough food to eat. Hearing this, Lord Ganesha cut a banana tree and gave it to his mother, saying the tree was his wife.
Even today, during Durga Puja, a banana tree wrapped in a saree with vermillion is placed next to the idol of Lord Ganesha as his wife.
9. Story of the Ekdanta
Lord Ganesha is also known as Ekdanta, meaning one-tusked. There’s another story that gives us the reason behind his one tusk. According to the Brahmavavart Purana, Parshurama, one of the great sages, went to Mount Kailash to meet Lord Shiva. But Lord Ganesha didn’t let him in as Lord Shiva was meditating. This angered sage Parshurama, and he attacked Lord Ganesha using his axe. Because the axe was given to Parshurama by Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha took the hit on his tusk to respect the weapon gifted by his father. This is how he lost his tusk and became known as Ekdanta.
10. How many names are there of Lord Ganesha?
Lastly, in our list of interesting facts about Lord Ganesha, did you know that he has 108 names? Some of his names are:
- Amit – Incomparable lord
- Bhupati – Lord of the lords
- Chaturbhuj – One who has four arms
- Devavrata – One who accepts all penances
- Durja – Invincible lord
- Eshanputra – Lord Shiva’s son
- Gunina – The one who is master of all virtues
- Manomay – Winner of the hearts
- Omkara – One who has the form of Om
- Varaprada – Granter of wishes and boons
- Yogadhipa – The lord of meditation
And these were some intriguing facts about Lord Ganesha. Share these facts with your loved ones when celebrating this Ganesh Chaturthi and fall in love with the lord again. As the festival is around the corner, you must also be thinking of some Ganesha Chaturthi gifts. You can grab some Ganesh Chaturthi gift ideas at https://www.giftalove.com/blog/best-ganesh-chaturthi-gift-ideas-for-friends-and-family/ for friends and family or visit our store online to go through our extensive collection of gifts and place orders.
Pratiksha is our in-house content writer who aims to provide quality content to her readers. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing, and learning about new things.