Vinayaka Chavithi Vratha Katha
Vinayak Chaturti is one of the most popular festivals in the Hindu calendar occurring during the Badhraprada month (August September) on the fourth day (Chaturti) of Shuklapaksha (the waxing phase of moon).
Over the years, Vinayaka Chaturti has emerged as an event of the great social, religious and cultural festival and is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour across the lengths and breadths of the country.
Vinayaka Chavithi Katha (Story)
Once there lived a demon king by the name of GAJASURA, he was named so because had the form of an elephant(GAJA). He performed great penance(tapasya) for lord Shiva. Shiva who was pleased with the penance came to him and offered him a boon(vara). That demon prayed lord Shiva as soon as he saw him and then prayed that “ hey lord, I would ask you stay in my stomach” as boon. Lord Shiva known for his love towards the followers agreed and stayed in the stomach of the Gajasura.
In the mean time, godess Parvati wife of lord Shiva, who was in kailasam(the abode of lord Shiva) was getting worried, as her husband was not to be seen for many days. She searched and finally found out that lord Shiva was residing in the stomach of the demon Gajasura. Then she was very worried on how to get her husband back and prayed to her brother lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu came to Parvati, who narrated the whole story of her husband and requested Vishnu to help in getting her husband back. Vishnu consoled Parvati and promised that he would get back her husband.
Lord Vishnu along with other deities like Indira, Brahma etc hatched a plan of getting Shiva back. As a part of the plan they decorated NANDI( the bull) as GANGIREDDU( this is a part of Andhra tradition wherein bulls are decorated, trained to make movements according to the music) and gods were disguised as musical instrument players where all the gods took up different musical instruments. With everything ready all of them went to the capital city of the demon Gajasura.
In the city , they started the show of making the bull move to their music and it was magnificent and started pulling huge crowds. The fame of the Bull play reached Gajasura and he summoned them to his court. In the court all the gods made Nandi play beautifully by which Gajasura was impressed and asked the band to go ahead and ask for anything and he would for sure give them. Listening to that Vishnu said that the Gangieddu was no other than Nandi the vehicle of Shiva and they were here for Shiva.
Listening to that Gajasura understood that the one who spoke was none other than Lord Vishnu famous for killing demons and knowing that he had no other way out but to stand on his word he once again prayed to lord Shiva and asked for another boon stating that “ His death was eminent and so he prayed to Shiva that he made his head to be prayed in all the lokas(bhoo lokam, patala lokam etc) and that Shiva should wear his skin as clothes.” For which lord Shiva agreed. Vishnu asked Nandi to pierce the stomach of Gajasura, which Nandi did and Shiva was out from the stomach of Gajasura.
Vishnu then adviced Shiva that boons were to be given on discretion and asked him to consider before giving boons to demons. Then all the gods left and so did Shiva, mounted Nandi and left to kailasam.
Vinayaka Chavithi Pooja Vidhi
Interestingly, every region in India has a unique way of celebrating this festival. However the basic rituals remain the same such as cleaning the place of worship, decorating the mandir or place of worship with flowers and lights, placing the idol of Lord Ganesha, preparing some delicious bhog and singing hymns and performing arti are some of the simple ways of seeking the blessings of the almighty.
You can download the Vinayaka Chavithi Vratha Katha English PDF using the link given below.
