Ganesha Chaturthi is an extremely prevalent festival throughout India, and Lord Ganesha, having the head of an elephant and an endearing round belly, is also a favourite idol among all sections of Indian society.
Today, the 11th of September, is being celebrated as Bhadrapada Ganesha Chaturthi which is supposed to be the birthday of Lord Ganesha. The lord is seen as Vighna Vinashaka, the Remover of Obstacles, and is always invoked before embarking on any new venture. The legend also goes that if you look at the moon on Chaturthi nights like today, you would invite false charges against yourselves. This is because Lord Ganesha is said to have cursed Chandra (the moon) as she had once teased Vinayaka over His peculiar form.
To me, there is an innocence and naughtiness about the face of Lord Ganesha. He is like a cherub, who you feel like pampering like anything, but also somebody who you can cry your mind out to. Some pictures which depict a baby Ganesha on the lap of Parvati with Lord Shiva standing alongside, is also very cute indeed. To me he sometimes elicits a similar expression as Bal Gopala. An obsequious bow before him, just before you leave for work everyday, gives you the confidence that you can gallop past any obstacle that is in store for you that day.
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