Three-day Lord Ganesh festival in Sultanate of Oman

13 September, 2012

Shree Ganesh Festival, in its 28th year, will be celebrated in Muscat (Oman) from September 19 to 21. To be held in Muscat Shiva Temple, it will reportedly include Ganesh Pratishtapana, Panchamrita Abhisheka, Gana Homa, poojas, Vedic chants, Ganesh Sahasranama Smarane, Bharatnatyam/Odissi dances, traditional floral decorations, bhajans, Shukla Yajurveda Ghanam chanting, Veena recital, etc.; besides offering of laddu/modaka/chakkuli.

HINDU LEADER Rajan Zed, applauding the Oman Hindu community for organizing this elaborate Ganesh Festival, wished that all prayers of Oman devotees be answered on auspicious occasion of Ganesh-Chaturthi, which falls on September 19 this year celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesh.

Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged the Oman seekers to undertake deeper study of Hindu scriptures as it would open another eye for them. As our scriptures told us: conquer your passions and senses; meditate; keep your heart pure and full of love; seek higher knowledge; and realize Self which is deathless, source of all light and knows all, Zed suggested.

Popular festival of Ganesh-Chaturthi is celebrated on fourth day of the bright lunar fortnight of Bhadrapada, which may last for up to ten days. One of most widely worshipped deities in Hinduism, elephant headed (with a broken tusk) and human bodied Lord Ganesh is regarded as god of wisdom and good luck, patron of learning and remover of obstacles, and invoked at the commencement of all undertakings. He is said to have equivalents in Buddhism and Jainism also. Business people and students present their books to Lord Ganesh to ensure good fortune.