Seek the Blessings of Lord Ganesha and Feast on Delicious Food Items on the Auspicious Occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi 2019

Seek the Blessings of Lord Ganesha and Feast on Delicious Food Items on the Auspicious Occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi 2019

India is a land of diverse culture. Here, we celebrate our God's with much pomp and fair. Ganesh Chaturthi is one such festival for which, Indians the world over eagerly wait for. It is the time to seek blessings of Lord Ganesha. This year, we offer you the options of some of the most amazing delicacies you can try at home on this auspicious festival. Read on to know more.

Related articles

The Festival of Ganesh Chaturthi Explained

Also known as Vinayak Chaturthi , Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha. It falls in the months of August or September. The festival is marked by the installation of Ganesha clay idols privately in homes, prominent temples or publicly on large pandals (also called temporary stages). Along with setting up pandals , prayers and fasting for a day are also observed. Offerings and prasad from the daily prayers is distributed from the pandal to the local community. The prasad include sweets such as modak as it is believed to be a favorite of Lord Ganesh.

The festival is celebrated for ten days and on the tenth day, Ganpati idol is carried in a public gathering with music and groups of people chanting prayers, then immersed in a nearby water body such as a river or sea. If we talk about Mumbai alone, around 150,000 statues are immersed on an annual basis. After the clay idol dissolves , Ganesha is believed to return to Mount Kailash to Parvati and Shiva.

Celebrating the God of New Beginnings the World Over

We all know Lord Ganesha as the God of New Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles in anyone’s life, as well as the god of wisdom and intelligence. The festival of Ganesh chaturthi can be witnessed all over India, especially in the states such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Telangana, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh and is usually celebrated privately in states such as Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.

Ganesh Chaturthi is also celebrated in Nepal and in many countries such as in Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, some parts of the Caribbean islands , Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa, United States, and in Europe by the Hindu community. Lalbaug is a place in Mumbai where this festival is celebrated on a grand scale every year.

Many Forms of Ganpati Bappa

One interesting fact you may have now known about the son of Lord Shiva is that he’s worshiped in many forms such as Bal Ganesh, Lalbaugcha Raja, Siddhivinayak Maharaj and Dhagru Sheth. Out of these, most worshiped ones are Dhagru sheth and Lalbaugcha Raja. Chaturthi or Chavithi is the fourth day (Tithi) of any lunar month. Devotees observe the fast for full day and night and meal is consumed the next day. Ganesh Chaturthi is one of most important Chaturthi on which Lord Ganesha makes his presence felt on earth.

History Of Ganesh Chaturthi

The history of this festival cannot be traced to exact date but it is believed, it became a major social and public event during the reign of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Two hymns of Rigveda have also mentioned Lord Ganesh. Lord Ganesh appears in the medieval Puranas in the form of "god of success, obstacle remover”. A number of images of him were seen by Archeologists studying 7th century or earlier. For instance, artifacts at temples of Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains such as at the Ellora Caves show Ganesha seated with major Hindu goddess (Laxmi), which date back to between 5th and 8th-century.

The Rituals of Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations include four rituals.

  • Pranapratistha: It's the first step or ritual of the Ganesh Chaturthi. During this, a statue or figurine of Lord Ganesha in brought at the center of the pandal around which people celebrate by singing and dancing and playing with colors all around.
  • Shodasopachara: The second ritual involves worshiping Lord Ganesha by singing various aartis and chantings.
  • Uttarpuja: After the above two rituals are concluded, the idol of Lord Ganesha is moved from his original position and is moved around by people for everyone to take his blessings.
  • Ganpati Visarjan: The final stage is of Ganpati Visarjan in which Lord Ganesha is visarjit into a water body such as a river, sea or the ocean. It is believed that Lord Ganesha gets united with his family after travelling across seas.

Foods You Can Prepare on Ganesh Chaturthi

A laddu or modak is supposed to be the signature food of Lord Ganesha and something very dear to him. Hence it’s served in various forms in recipes during Ganesh Chaturthi. Some of the popular Ganesh Chaturthi foods include karanji, which is a sweet dish from Karnataka. In southern states of India modak or laddu, vundrallu , panakam , vadapappu (soaked moong lentils) and chalividi (a mixture of cooked rice, flour and jaggery ) are offered to Ganesha. Here are some interesting and delicious Ganesh Chaturthi Foods to be tried with your own hands this year.

Foods that Can be Prepared as Snacks

Following are the snack options for Ganesh Chaturthi:

  • Panchakajjaya: It is an offering made to Lord Ganesha during this festival in parts of Karnataka. It is a mixture of crushed coconut, roasted Bengal gram powder, sugar, ghee, and sesame. Different versions of panchakajjaya are made.
  • Coconut Rice: This dish is one of the most common offerings to a god or goddess in South India. It is prepared by soaking white rice in coconut milk . The delicious dish makes for one of the most loved bhog items.
  • Karanji: A traditional Maharashtrian sweet snack recipe. It also has sweet coconut stuffing with crispy crust.
  • Puffed Rice: Lord Ganesha is as benevolent and loving towards the poor as he is to the rich. Rice, which have are delicious and cheaply available, are turned into modaks with jaggery and served to Ganesha.
  • Batatayachi bhaji: It is dry potato dish made with boiled, cubed potatoes with very minimal spices.
  • Poori: The very popular Indian deep-fried and puffed bread made from whole wheat flour, salt, and water.
  • Poori Bhaji: Made with dry potato vegetable and served with puffed pooris. This is a very popular food for Maharashtrian’s as they consume it for breakfast.
  • Matki Usal: It is made from sprouted moth beans, boiled potatoes and also flavored with goda masala.
  • Batata Poha: A quick breakfast dish made out of flattened rice with potato.
  • Batatayachi bhaji: It is dry potato dish made with boiled, cubed potatoes with very minimal spices.

Sweet Foods that Can be Prepared

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations are incomplete without including these sweet items:

  • Varan Bhaat: It is a maharashtrian style dish, Healthy, delicious dal recipe made from toor dal and served with cooked rice.
  • Goan Varan Bhaat: It is yet another simple dal made with toor dal and coconut. This is also served with cooked rice.
  • Sabudana Thalipeeth: This is a savory pancake made from tapioca pearls. It is also eaten during fasts.
  • Basundi: This recipe is made with Sweetened and thickened milk with chopped nuts, along with that it is flavored with cardamom and saffron.
  • Srikhand: It is made with strained yogurt and sugar and flavored with saffron, cardamom and garnished with nuts. It is popular across Maharashtra and Gujarat.
  • Shankarpali: A form of biscuits which is sweet, crispy yet melt in your mouth texture, deep fried, whole wheat flour biscuits.
  • Panchamrut: It is a traditional drink used as offering to God from a long time. It is believed to be nourishing and purifying and later given in form of prasad. The name signifies that it is a nectar like substance made with five ingredients including dairy products and honey. It has an amazing aroma as well.
  • Puran Poli: This dish is also favorite in the list of bhog offered to Lord Ganesha on Ganesha Chaturthi. Puran Poli is a flat bread made out of maida stuffed with sweet lentils and jaggery.

Some Other Delicious Foods You can Prepare for Ganesh Chaturthi

Want to try other delicious recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi? Here are the options:

  • Moong Daal Khichdi: This dish is made with moong dal and rice with very minimum whole spices.
  • Amti: This is a flavorful dal recipe made from toor dal with a touch of sourness and flavored with goda masala.
  • Sabudana Vada: This dish is made from tapioca pearls, peanuts, and potatoes. They are shaped into small discs and then deep fried.
  • Medu Vada: Medu Vada is a traditional South Indian dish that is commonly prepared in almost every South Indian household. On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, devotees offer the delicious medu vada to their God as a part of the offering or bhog.
  • Banana sheera: Banana Sheera is an easy to make sweet dish , which is one of the common offerings to Lord Ganesha. It is made of mashed bananas, semolina and sugar.
  • Rava pongal: Rava Pongal is prepared with a lot of ghee and is a delicious breakfast snack in South India. Made with rava (sooji) and moong dal, and topped with flavourful seasonings, the pongal is an absolute treat.
  • Satori: Satori is a Maharashtrian sweet flat bread, and one of the most loved festive recipes of Maharashtra. It is a rich delicacy made from khoya or mawa, ghee, besan and milk.
  • Payasam: No kind of offering to god is ever complete with India's favorite festive dish - Payasam. Payasam is a traditional South Indian dish(kheer). Rice is cooked in milk along with jaggery, coconut and cardamom is a hit all over the sub-continent. One can also experiment with Payasam, and cook your God’s interesting many versions of it like Pineapple Payasam, Carrot Payasam etc.
  • Apple Kheer: Kheer is an intrinsic part of every Indian celebration. The milk and rice pudding goes back years in time and is perhaps one of the oldest traditional recipes linked with the festival.
  • Karjikai or Karigadubu: Karjikai or karigadubu is made with ingredients such as maida, sugar, poppy seeds, fried gram (or any nuts) and coconut. It is popularly known by different names like karanji, gujiya and kajjikayalu. Karjikai recipe is easy to make and also it is very tasty and because of these two qualities the recipe is prepared during ganesha festival. Karjikai is also famous by the name of karigadubu in Karnataka.

The Signature Food for Ganesh Chaturthi: Types of Modak You can Offer to Lord Ganesha

During this festive season, Modak, which is a sweet dumpling is available in different types. The outer layer is prepared with rice flour, wheat flour and the inner filling is mainly of coconut, jaggery, and dry fruits but a lot of different variants are prepared now.

When it comes to Modak or laddoo, some the types are mentioned below.

  • Fried Modak: It is a variation where modaks are fried rather than steamed. In this the outer covering is made from whole wheat flour and hence it is bit dense as compared to the ones made out of finely milled flour (also called maida).
  • Boondi Laddoo: This type of modak is bright orange, moist and filled with ghee, Boondi ladoo is a festive favourite. Boondi ladoo is also known as motichoor ladoo in many parts of the country. The word 'motichoor' means 'crushed pearls' in Hindi. This ladoo, dipped in sugar syrup, is very easy-to-make at home too.
  • Dark Chocolate Nutty Laddoo: This type unique modak contains the richness of a dark chocolate teamed with amazingly nutritious nuts.
  • Ragi Modak: It is modak which is prepared using finger millet flour, jaggery, ghee and desiccated coconut. Ragi laddu is a very easy to prepare and healthy laddu.
  • Kesari Modak: This is one of the most famous Modaks. It is prepared by mixing Kesar in milk and then cooking the milk till it thickens and then preparing the Modak laddos.
  • Chocolate Cheese Modak: When the traditional and classic modak gets a makeover of chocolate along with cheese filled inside, it has a completely different taste and looks mouth watering as well.
  • Dry fruit modak: It is prepared with dry fruits, coconut and ghee which makes it is super-delicious and nutritious.
  • Coconut modak: Peanuts and coconut stuffed rice flour modaks. They are anything but difficult to make and absolute delight to taste.
  • Malai Laddoo: Malai modaks are made by adding consolidated milk, disintegrated paneer or chenna and cardamom among others. The amazing taste of these desserts has changed over them into favorite modaks for people as sweet dish as well.
  • Besan Laddoo: It’s the most basic type of laddoo or modak you can make. This is very easy to make Ladoo, made from gram flour, powdered sugar and ghee.
Writer
Parth Kohli
Parth has been writing for BP-Guide India for well over a year. He is a budding entrepreneur and an avid learner, pursuing his education in business management (B.B.A.) from one of the central institutions in India. He is presently working on projects based on e-learning and digital marketing. In his spare time, he likes to read and write on various niches, such as the latest developments in sciences, technologies, cyberspace, among many other domains and topics.
Related articles
From our editorial team

On Ganesh Chaturthi 2019, Don't Forget To Prepare and Enjoy These Tasty Treats

Most people wait for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations eagerly. It is that time of the year when everyone around is in a festive mood, and they get to try mouth-watering delicacies. This year, try these different recipes and treat yourself and your guests with the favorite foods of Ganpati Bappa.