Dear members and friends of the Belgian Mauritian Business Club, the island of Mauritius celebrates the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, on Tuesday, September 15, a public holiday.
Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the anniversary of the birth of Lord Ganesh. During this festival, Ganesh is revered as the god of wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune. It is believed that Lord Ganesh was born during the waxing phase of the moon (*Shukla Paksha*) in the month of Bhadrapada. Nowadays, Ganesh Chaturthi falls in the months of August or September of the Gregorian calendar.
The Ganeshotsav, the period of festivities for Ganesh Chaturthi, concludes after ten days on Anant Chaturdashi, a day also called Ganesh Visarjan. On this day, after a festive procession through the streets, devotees immerse the statue of Lord Ganesh in a body of water.
According to the Hindu time measurement system, the duration between sunrise and sunset is divided into five equal parts. These five parts are named Pratahkala, Sangava, Madhyahna, Aparahna, and Sayankal. The rituals of Ganapati Sthapana (installation of the deity) and Ganapati Puja take place during the period of Madhyahna, according to Vedic astrology, this is the most auspicious time to worship Ganesh.
In the middle of the day, devotees perform a detailed ritual called Shodashopachara Ganapati Puja.
Prohibition of observing the moon during Ganesh Chaturthi
The tradition states that one should not look at the moon on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. Seeing the moon on that day leads to Mithya Dosham or Mithya Kalank, which means exposing oneself to a false accusation of theft.
According to the legends of the Puranas, Lord Krishna was falsely accused of stealing a precious jewel named Syamantaka. Witnessing Krishna's distress, the sage Narada explained to him that this accusation resulted from having seen the moon on the day of Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi, thus attracting upon him the curse of Mithya Dosha. The sage Narada also informed Lord Krishna that the god Chandra had been cursed by Lord Ganesha: whoever sees the moon on the Shukla Chaturthi of the month of Bhadrapada, would be struck by the Mithya Dosha, thus becoming tainted and dishonored in the eyes of society. On the advice of sage Narada, Lord Krishna observed the fast of Ganesha Chaturthi to free himself from the Mithya Dosha.
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi
Claude Bertrand
Editor