Check out these glimpses from Ganpati Bappa decorations in Aussie homes, during the ongoing 10-day festival dedicated to Ganesha.
The most loved of Hindu deities, Ganesha or Ganpati is the God of Good Beginnings, invoked at the beginning of important occasions.
ZANKHANA MOHINI of Jordan Springs NSW: Exquisite hand-crafted decorations, of Ganpati inside a Shivji gufa (cave)
AANCHAL MATTA of Schofields NSW: That’s one giant laddoo for Ganesha – and it’s a real one too!
VANDANA SAINI of Schofields NSW: What a luminous backdrop for Ganesha!
FALGUNI SHAH of Marsden Park NSW: Check out this resplendent turban for Ganesha… and the jewels on his trunk.
SUNAINA UPADHYAY of The Ponds NSW: It’s a lush spring welcome for Ganpati here! (The theme is Vasant main ghar aaye Bappa or Ganesha comes to our home in spring).
GOVARDHAN PERIPI of Schofields NSW: A giant pandal for Ganesh!
VITHAL MADDALA of Schofields NSW: Ganpati Bappa sits in golden and floral opulence
The Ganesh Festival (Ganesh Chaturthi) spans ten days, which starts with the ritual referred to colloquially as ‘bringing Ganesha home’. In practice this means acquiring a clay idol from the shops or creating one, and installing it a specific spot in the home. (Yes, it’s got to be clay!) Once home, Ganesha is dressed and his surrounds decorated – there is clean cloth, an urn of water, flowers, ornaments, and worship items such as sandalwood, sacred thread, durva grass, ghee, oil lamps and incense. The entire spot is then embellished with decorations – often based on whatever takes the fancy of the family. (India’s successful moon mission is a particularly popular one this year, back home in India!) And then of course, there’s food – sweetmeats and fruit – because we all know Ganesha loved his food.
For the ten-day period, the Ganesha idol is treated like a human person, a family member if you will, even offered food and drink at meal times.
Friends and family visit each others’ homes to see the Ganesh decorations.
At the end of the ten days, the idols are immersed in water in a sacred ritual. It is a ritual that reminds us that whatever is born, will perish, in a spiritual cycle that we call life. It also teaches us the value of detachment – to learn to let go of objects or beings we hold dear in our lives.
View this post on Instagram
Calling all Ganpati worshippers: Send us pics/videos of your decorations this Ganesh Chaturthi. Email them to editor@indianlink.com.au with your name and suburb, and your theme this year if you have one.
READ ALSO: Diwali art competition: Design our 2023 Diwali greeting card!