Festivals – Why we Have Them

Festivals are there to celebrate our lives, the joy of being alive and it is to be shared with all – our friends, relatives, our neighbours, our colleagues, the young, the old, everyone.

Amongst the gaiety and celebrations are hidden great values which rites and rituals bring forth as powerful reminders. But to the one who is unaware of the significance it will appear as wastage of resources, unnecessary indulgences and even foolish, outdated practices.

Take for example Ganapati visarjan. People often say this festival should be stopped because it causes water pollution, next day the sight on the beach with hands and legs of Ganapati is not nice and causes harm to the beach, noise pollution when the processions are being taken out, etc.

Foreigners on the other hand remark, how cruel that you drown your own gods in the sea after taking care of him for so many days!!!

Any normal thinking and caring person would think so. But let’s see what this festival is all about and why is it celebrated. Then decide for yourself.

Festival of Ganesha Chaturthi

Ganapati, the Lord, is brought home with great fanfare. For 7 to 9 days he is taken care of like a favorite family member. All the things he likes to eat are made, friends, relatives, neighbours, etc everyone is invited to pay their respects to him. And on the tenth day with great fanfare he bid adieu and submerged in the sea.

Ganapati symbolizes the life spark which is sentient. When it takes a human form and comes in to the world we celebrate the birth of a child. The child is taken care of lovingly by the family, friends, society. Ganapati (child) brings joy, love in the hearts of all. Everyone partakes in all his/her activities, joys and sorrows. You may like to read “What does lord Ganesha represent?”

Significance of Ganesha Visarjan

So everyone takes care of everyone as all are born. But those who are born must die, hence live your life in complete harmony with all beings around and know that one day you will depart.

The departure should also be such that you leave a mark in everyone’s heart and they remember you for your love, and goodness. Live a life of love, purity, selflessness, contributing to society. This also to reminds us that we have a limited time on earth and one day we all have to go. All that we accumulate – wealth, friends, possessions will not go with us, everything will remain here except our deeds.

The chanting that Ganapati come back next year is a reminder that we too will be born again and again until we are able to evolve and gain complete freedom from the cycle of birth and death. Until that time live harmoniously and contribute to the well being of others.

When this tradition was started Ganapati was made from mud. The philosophy was from mud-to-mud. It did no harm to the environment. The colors used were vegetable dyes. Isn’t this festival a beautiful way to convey to the children the importance of right living, to the householders the importance of giving back to society and to the elders to start letting go to prepare for their onward journey. When we celebrate it every year knowing the significance it makes an impact in our minds and our thinking.

About the pollution the idol can be made from eco-friendly material. No need for POP and can be immersed in a bucket of water which can be used to water the plants. But to abolish a beautiful, meaningful festival without understanding its significance how wise it that?

We have so many such customs, traditions, festivals, rites rituals – each has a deep meaning, is symbolic and has great learning embedded in them.

That is why Indian or Hindu way of life has been appreciated by people all over the world:

India is the cradle of the human race,
the birthplace of human speech,
the mother of history,
the grandmother of legend,
and the great grandmother of tradition.

Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only! – Mark Twain

Reference: www.chinmayamissionmumbai.com