Ganesh Chaturthi: Crowds of pilgrims at Chandra Binayak (with photos)
Devotees go to the nearby Ganesh temple early in the morning to worship Lord Ganesh and offer laddoos.
KATHMANDU: Today is the Chaturthi Tithi of Shukla paksha in the month of Bhadra, and it is celebrated as Lord Ganesha’s birthday in Hinduism. This day is also known as Siddhi Binayak, which translates to Ganesh Chaturthi.
Lord Ganesh is the first worshiped deity of Hindus. Sanatan Hindus revere Ganesh as one of the five deities. Devotees go to the nearby Ganesh temple early in the morning to worship Lord Ganesh and offer laddoos.
It is widely believed that worshiping Lord Ganesh on this day will grant one’s wishes. The Newar community still celebrates the Chatha festival today. During the festival, it is customary to worship Lord Ganesh and the moon in the evening.
On this day, people in Kathmandu Valley and other Newar communities clean their homes and smear the soil with cow dung in the morning.
Corn, soybeans, wheat, bananas, chickpeas, almonds, bakula (broad bean), bodi (yardlong bean), beans, and other materials are fried and prepared on this day, when pulses are given special importance.
It is customary to fry peach seeds during this festival. On this day, a special fair is held at the Ganesh Mandir in Kamaladi, featuring four Ganesh from the Kathmandu Valley.
Photos:-
-Saroj Basnet/MK
