Ganesh Chaturthi Celebration in Dubai

When it comes to Hindu festivals, one can’t deny the vibrancy of Ganesh Chaturthi. It is a festival that brings people together to celebrate newness. At its very root, this festival celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, who is hailed as the deity of prosperity, good fortune, and wisdom.

In this space, we are going to take a deeper look at this widely revered festival. From taking a look into its history and significance to understanding why we celebrate it, from how it is celebrated across the globe to what you can do to elevate the experience of Ganesh Chaturthi in Dubai, we are going to cover everything.

This is where you will find everything you need to know about this pious festival in one of the most diverse and cosmopolitan cities of the world. This is your guide to Ganesh Chaturthi celebration in Dubai.

History and Significance of Ganesh Chaturthi

The history of Ganesh Chaturthi is intertwined with the history of Hindu religion, and its significance has evolved from just a family tradition to a major public celebration, especially in Maharashtra.

Lord Ganesha is regarded as the remover of obstacles (Vighnaharta) and Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival that is celebrated to seek his special blessings for overcoming obstacles and achieving success in life.

Also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, this Hindu festival celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the beloved god of prosperity. It is a highly anticipated festival that takes place over the course of ten days and is marked by the installation of Ganesha idols, performing prayers, and eventually culminating in an epic immersion ceremony (Visarjan).

The festival also fosters harmony and community unity and bonding, particularly in regions like Maharashtra, where it is celebrated with much vigour and great enthusiasm.

Essentially, this festival is celebrated to mark new beginnings and to hope to remove obstacles from life. With its roots in the Indian history, where it is believed that Lord Ganesha was created by Goddess Parvati. As per legend, there are tales of Parvati creating Ganesha from the dirt of her body and bringing him to life to guard and protect her while she took a bath.

When her husband, Lord Shiva, returned, he was initially denied entry by Lord Ganesh, leading to a confrontation where Shiva lost his temper and severed Ganesha's head. Later on, after learning the disappointment of Parvati, Shiva replaced the head of Ganesha with an elephant and granted him the status of being the first deity in Hindu religion to be worshipped.

Why do We Celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi?

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Ganesha, the deity of wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune in Hinduism. This is a ten-day festival marked by bringing home Ganesha idols, offering prayers, participating in community celebrations, and culminating in the immersion of the idols in the holy river water.

The festival commemorates the birthday of Lord Ganesha, who is worshipped and hailed as the remover of obstacles and the god of fresh beginnings. He is known for his elephant head, prominent and large ears, and the iconic pot belly, which symbolise prosperity, intellect, and wisdom. This festival denotes a time for spiritual renewal, seeking blessings for prolonged success, and fostering community harmony.

Celebration Across the Globe

Even though Ganesh Chaturthi is traditionally celebrated within families, it gained major prominence as a public festival during the Maratha Empire, especially under the Peshwas in Pune.

But it was the efforts of Lokmanya Tilak, who is significantly credited for popularising the festival as a public event in the late 19th century. He used the festival as a means to bring together people against British colonial rule. He saw Ganesh Chaturthi as a way to evade British restrictions on public gatherings by marking it as a religious event.

The pious festival is celebrated with vibrant decorations, vigorous music, enthusiastic dance, and the preparation of traditional sweets like Modaks, highlighting the legendary cultural heritage of the nation.

Devotees start the festival by bringing home idols of Lord Ganesha, offering prayers, performing rituals, inviting their loved ones, and participating in cultural events. As you can see, the festival also acts as a social event, bringing together people and promoting unity in the community.

The efforts of Tilak helped in transforming Ganesh Chaturthi into a powerful symbol of Indian unity and nationalism, fostering social harmony across community and caste lines. It slowly and steadily became a platform for expressing patriotic and nationalistic sentiments and resistance against the oppression of British rule.

At the beginning of the festival, Ganesha idols are placed on raised platforms in homes or beautifully and elaborately decorated outdoor tents. The worship begins with a ritual called Pranapratishtha, to invoke life in the idols.

It is followed by Shhodashopachara, or the 16 ways of offering tribute. Amidst the chanting of prayers and Vedic hymns from religious texts like the Ganesh Upanishad, the idols are anointed with red sandalwood paste and red and yellow garlands of flowers.

The deity is also offered jaggery, coconut, and 21 Modaks, which are considered to be the favourite food of Ganesha. This once again denotes the relevance of sweets in Indian festivals.

At the conclusion of the festival, the Ganesh idols are marched and carried to local rivers in huge processions accompanied by devotional singing, dancing, and drumbeats. There they are carefully immersed, a ritual symbolising the homeward journey of Ganesh to Mount Kailas—the abode of his parents, Shiva and Parvati.

Ganesh Chaturthi Celebration in Dubai

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with much love and vigour among the Indian expat community in Dubai. Everything starts with the installation of Lord Ganesha idols, followed by prayers, worship, and celebrations. Markets in Dubai also witness a surge in demand for Ganesh idols and related Puja materials, creating a dynamic and vibrant atmosphere.

In essence, Ganesh Chaturthi is a multi-faceted festival that denotes historical importance, religious significance, and cultural vibrancy, ensuring a cherished and widely celebrated event not only in India but also abroad.

Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi with MyGovindas

We, at MyGovindas, believe in elevating the authenticity of enjoying Indian festivals in a foreign land for not only Indians but for every global citizen who wants to experience the grandeur of Indian festivities, and Ganesh Chaturthi is no exception.

Food, and especially desserts, are an integral part of an Indian festival. Keeping this in mind, we bring before you the iconic Modak, one of Lord Ganesha’s favourite sweet treats. Curated with care and precision by our in-house certified chefs, we have a wide range of Modak preparations for you and your loved ones for this cherished festival.

Be it the Kaju Pan Moodak or the Pista Kaju Modak, the Kesar Khoa Modak or the Rose Modak, the Strawberry Saffron Modak or the Wild Fruit Modak, you will never tire of your diverse varieties we bring to the world of Modak. Make every single day of the Ganesh Chaturthi special with our Kaju Modak, Kesar Kaju Modak, or our special box of premium flavoured assorted Modaks, because every celebration deserves sweetness.