The Story of Ganesh Chaturthi in 5 Minutes

How Ganesha got his elephant head

Goddess Parvati made a boy from sandalwood paste and asked him to guard the door while she bathed. When Lord Shiva came home, the boy — not knowing who he was — would not let him in. In the fight that followed, the boy lost his head. Parvati was heartbroken, so Shiva promised to bring him back. He gave the boy the head of an elephant, and made him the leader of his followers — Ganapati.

Why is Ganesha worshipped first?

The gods once held a race around the world. Ganesha's brother Kartik flew off on his peacock. Ganesha simply walked around his parents, Shiva and Parvati, saying "my parents are my whole world." He won — and since then he is prayed to first, before every puja.

Why modak?

Ganesha loves sweets, especially modak — sweet dumplings of coconut and jaggery. That's why he has a big tummy! We offer him 21 modaks.

What we do

• Bring home a clay Ganesha and decorate his corner
• Sing "Sukhkarta Dukhharta" or "Jai Ganesh Deva"
• Offer modak and durva grass
• Say goodbye with "Ganpati Bappa Morya, pudhchya varshi lavkar ya!" — come back soon next year!

Ganesha and the moon

One night Ganesha was riding home on his mouse after eating lots of modaks. The mouse tripped over a snake, Ganesha tumbled and the sweets spilled everywhere. The Moon laughed at him! Ganesha was cross and said nobody should look at the moon on Chaturthi night. That is why, on Ganesh Chaturthi, many families avoid looking at the moon — and why the story teaches us not to laugh at others.

Why does Ganesha have a broken tusk?

One story says Ganesha broke off his own tusk to use as a pen when the sage Vyasa dictated the Mahabharata, because he did not want to stop writing. That is why he is the patron of writers and students.

Make a clay Ganesha

1. Take a ball of natural clay (shaadu maati) about the size of an orange.
2. Make a round body, a smaller round head, and roll four small sausages for the arms and legs.
3. Add a trunk, two big ears and a small tusk.
4. Press in a modak shape in one hand and seat him on a little stool.
5. Let it dry, decorate with turmeric and kumkum, and you have your own Ganesha!

Saying goodbye the green way

A clay Ganesha can be immersed in a bucket of water at home. When the clay dissolves, pour it into a plant pot and plant a seed — Ganesha's blessing turns into a new plant.