Tamil Nadu » Tamil Nadu Festivals » Ganesh Chaturdhi
Ganesh
Chaturdhi, also
known as Vinayaka Chavithi, is a Hindu festival that
falls on the fourth day of the sixth month (Bhadrapadam)
of the Indian Lunar Calendar. On this day, Hindu families
gather to pray to Lord Ganesha or Vinayaka, who is
believed to be the remover of obstacles. A statue
of the deity is installed in each household as well
as a very large statue in every street. The deity
is venerated for nine days, at the end of which the
Ganesh/Vinayaka statues are immersed in a lake or
other water body nearby.
It
is prohibited to look at the moon on the night of
Vinayaka Chaviti. Included in the customary rituals
of this festival are offerings to Ganesh/Vinayaka
of a wide variety of leaves, fruits and delicacies
called "Kudumu" and "Undrallu."