23rd September 2018
It is a day for worshipping the God Ganesha. A day-long fast is observed along with the offerings of fruits, sweets and flowers to Lord Ganesha.
A thread which is colored in turmeric paste and having 14 knots is tied on the upper right arm while worshipping in the belief that it will save the worshipper from evil and bring success and happiness. The Pandava princes in exile kept this fast on the advice of Sri Krishna. As a result of this, they defeated the Kauravas and recovered their lost kingdom.
Anant Chaturdashi is one of the main Hindu festivals that come on the fourteenth day of Bhadrapad month of Hindu calendar. It is the final day of Ganesh festival, performed in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh on a big scale.
Additionally, this festival is dedicated to God Vishnu and is executed on tenth or eleventh day after Ganesh Chaturthi. This event is important for both Hindus as well as Jain Community because Jain devotees begin their Dashlakshan fest on this day.
Apart from this, People perform this carnival by immersing all the Ganesha’s statues of homes and communities in the ocean, lake or rivers. Also, they welcome Lord Ganesha in their houses again next year with equal enthusiasm in large procession with slogan “ganpati bappa morya, agle baras to jaldi aa”. The original impact of Anant Chaturdashi arises by the legend of Sushila and her husband, Kaundinya, when they were facing difficult times.
Besides all, Anant Chaturdashi occasion plays an essential role in terms of Anant Vow, which is a custom conducted for fourteen years. This Vow is very advantageous to people for obtaining success. Moreover, Anant Vow taken on this day is very helpful for the individuals as it ensures their good wealth and cheerfulness. Furthermore, on this propitious day, people narrate and hear the stories of God Vishnu in order to purify their soul and to get other spiritual benefits.
In addition to this, on the valuable occasion of Anant Chaturdashi, devotees take part in various religious practices like they worship Shri Ganesha’s deity or picture by using traditional instruments and recite Shree Ganesha’s Name (‘Om Gan Ganapataye namaha’) with complete devotion. These practices give them 100% benefit in terms of divine power and consciousness and also have a positive impact on their minds.
