Lord Ganesh Chaturthi / Lord Shri Ganesh Puja celebration in USA (America):- ( this year it will be celebrated on 18.9.23 in some places and in some places also on 19.09.23 ): Celebrating different ceremonies , performing different pujas and celebrating different Festivals are an integral part of the Indian’s life irrespective of where they go / stay. It binds them with their motherland by a thread that is both auspicious and nostalgic. Ganesh Chaturthi is a very important festival for the Marathi, Tamil, Telegu , odiya, bengali and Gujarati communities from India.Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in a big way in several big cities of USA, where the concentration of Indian population is really strong. Most of the Hindu festivals in USA are held in different temples by the Hindu Swamsevak Sangh in general and language wise cultural organizations like OCA in particular. These organizations arrange for the celebrations of Shri Ganesh Puja / Ganesh Chaturthi in all major cities where they have branches.The biggest celebrations take place at the Philadelphia Ganesh Festival, which is organised primarily by the Marathi community of the state.Celebrations include cultural programmes and singing of devotional songs, accompanied by a colourful procession on the day of visarjan. In the Bay area of USA, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated by a joint initiative of these cultural organisations namely The Bay Area Telugu Association (BATA), Maharashtra Mandal, Odiya cultural society and Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) at the Fremont Hindu Temple. After ten days of celebrations the idol is finally immersed in the Pacific Ocean near Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The biggest celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi in USA, takes place at Sai Samstan, which is a Hindu society based out of Illinois. Besides the locals thousands of people travel to Illinois from other cities travel to be a part of this great festival. Celebrations also take place in other states of USA like Florida, California , Texas, New Jersey and New York on a much smaller scale. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated as birth anniversary of Lord Ganesh. On Ganesh Chaturthi, Lord Ganesh is worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. It is believed that Lord Ganesh was born during Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapada month. This year Ganesh Chaturthi day falls on 18.09.23/ 19.9.23. The Ganeshotsav, the festivity of Ganesh Chaturthi, ends after 10 days on Anant Chaturdashi which is also known as Ganesh Visarjan day. On Anant Chaturdashi, devotees immerse idol of Lord Ganesh in water body after a gala street procession. Ganesh Puja is preferred during Madhyahna as it is believed that Lord Ganesh was born during Madhyahna Kala. Madhyahna Kala is equivalent to midday according to Hindu division of the day. As per Hindu time-keeping, the time duration between sunrise to sunset is divided into five equal parts. These five parts are known as Pratahkala, Sangava, Madhyahna, Aparahna and Sayankal. Ganapati Sthapana and Ganapati Puja on Ganesha Chaturthi are done during Madhyahna part of the day and as per Vedic astrology it is considered the most appropriate time for Ganesha Puja. During midday, Ganesha devotees perform detailed ritualistic Ganesha Puja which is known as Shodashopachara Ganapati Puja. Prohibited Moon Sighting on Ganesha Chaturthi It is believed that one should not sight the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi. Sighting moon on Ganesh Chaturthi creates Mithya Dosham or Mithya Kalank (कलंक) which means false accusation of stealing something. As per Puranic legends, Lord Krishna was falsely accused of stealing precious jewel named Syamantaka. After seeing plights of Lord Krishna, Sage Narada informed that Lord Krishna sighted moon on the day of Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi and because of that he has been cursed with Mithya Dosha. Sage Narada further informed Lord Krishna that God Chandra has been cursed by Lord Ganesha that anyone who sighted moon on Shukla Chaturthi during Bhadrapada month would be cursed with Mithya Dosha and would be tainted and dishonoured in the society. On the advice of sage Narada Lord Krishna observed Ganesha Chaturthi fasting to get rid of Mithya Dosha. Mithya Dosha Prevention Mantra Depending on start and end time of Chaturthi Tithi, sighting of moon might be prohibited for two consecutive days. Generally Moon should not be sighted while Chaturthi Tithi is prevailing. Further, Moon risen during Chaturthi should not be sighted even if Chaturthi Tithi gets over before moonset. If anyone has mistakenly sighted moon on Ganesha Chaturthi then he should chant following Mantra to get rid of the curse – सिंहः प्रसेनमवधीत्सिंहो जाम्बवता हतः। सुकुमारक मारोदीस्तव ह्येष स्यमन्तकः॥ Simhah Prasenamavadhitsimho Jambavata Hatah। Sukumaraka Marodistava Hyesha Syamantakah॥ Ganesh Chaturthi is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi also. Lord Ganesha is widely revered and worshipped for his wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune. He is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and is considered the Lord of Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles. Ganesha is often depicted with the head of an elephant and a human body, and is associated with the color red. Lord Ganesh is invoked at the start of any important undertaking, such as the beginning of a journey, a new business venture, or the start of a religious ceremony. He is also worshipped as the patron of the arts and sciences and is considered to be the patron deity of writers and intellectuals.Lord Ganesha is widely revered and worshipped in Hinduism, and his devotees believe that he has the power to grant success, prosperity, and good fortune to those who honor him and seek his blessings. Ganesha is also seen as a symbol of unity, as he is believed to bring people of all castes and creeds together. There are many different ways to perform Ganesha puja, and the specific rituals and procedures may vary depending on the individual or the particular tradition being followed. Some common elements of Ganesha puja include: Chanting of mantras and prayers to Ganesha Offering of flowers, fruits, and other items to Ganesha as a symbol of devotion and respect Lighting of incense and lamps Circumambulation (walking around) the Ganesha idol or picture Recitation of Ganesha’s 108 names. Ganesha puja can be performed by individuals at home or in a group setting, such as at a temple or community gathering. Some people may choose to perform Ganesha puja on a daily basis, while others may do so on special occasions or during times of need. Ganesha puja is often seen as a way to invoke Ganesha’s blessings and bring prosperity, success, and good fortune into one’s life. Hindus of Houston and nearby places of Houston particularly odiya people will celebrate the Ganesh puja at the Chardham Temple , the Hindu Temple of The Woodlands . Here the temple will host the Ganesh Chaturthi puja for ten days starting from 18.09.23 and during which Hindus visit the temple to pay their respects to Ganesha, the god of prosperity and wisdom. In the Prabhu Shri Jaganath Temple (managed by OCA) the Ganesh chaturithi will be celebrated on 18.09.23 by the odiya community. In this temple of lord Shri Jaganath, at the start of the festival, the elaborately crafted idol of Ganesha will be raised on a platform and worshipped in a procession as it will bring into the temple with singing, dancing and music. In this temple, Throughout the festival, lord Ganesh will be offered with coconut and sweet dumplings, which are considered to be the deity’s favorite food. Prayers will be made in each and every day. ( By Lokanath Mishra, Katy, Texas, USA 🇺🇸)