Talk:Ganesh Chaturthi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
WikiProject_India This article is within the scope of WikiProject India, which aims to improve Wikipedia's coverage of India-related topics. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page.
B This article has been rated as B-Class on the quality scale. (add comments)
More information about this article...
Wikiproject_Hinduism This article is within the scope of WikiProject Hinduism, an attempt to promote better coordination, content distribution, and cross-referencing between pages dealing with Hinduism. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page.
B This article has been rated as B-Class on the quality scale.
Top This article has been rated as Top-importance for this Project's importance scale.

I did the merge with Ganesh Festival. The Ganesh{|a} merge had already been done. 59.92.194.4 14:05, 2 September 2006 (UTC)

Another major component that this entry is missing is some discussion of the extent to which the public performance of Ganesh Chaturthi is associtated with and often underwritten by the Hindu right. This is true not only in Maharashtra, where in Mumbai the event always features extensive Shiv Sena presence and is often marred by outbreaks of Hindu-Muslim violence; but in other places where this has become a major public event as well. One example would be Hyderabad, where the event has featured several incidents over the years.

This is true not only in Maharashtra, where in Mumbai the event always features extensive Shiv Sena presence and is often marred by outbreaks of Hindu-Muslim violence...
This is not true. Having spent most of my life in Mumbai, I can say that it is not an exclusively Shiv Sena related event. Even violence is not there (atleast not communal). Violence in Hyderabad does not mean that the festival generally has violence involved.
Rohitbd 15:09, September 6, 2005 (UTC)

I would not say that this should be the formost emphasis, but to leave it out entirely is irresponsible.

Finally, I think the ToI article that has been included gives readers an excellent description of what the festival actually looks like and the reasoning behind various pujas. However, the heading 'Rooted in Tradition' is completely misleading, since as the article makes clear we are dicussing a festival that began in its current form in the 19th century. Ganesh Chathurthi is one of the most important and visible examples of modern Hinduism, and to imply that it is 'traditional' does a disservice to the creativity (and mischief) of Tilak and other people who brough the festival to prominence in the modern era.

Contents

[edit] Name

Ganesh Chaturti is the right name. User:Nichalp/sg 09:15, September 5, 2005 (UTC)

No, IMHO Ganesh Chaturthi is the correct name. Some pronounce it as Chaturti - it is probably due to accent. Rohitbd 15:02, September 6, 2005 (UTC)
No problems with that, I was commenting on the Ganesha bit of Ganesha Chaturthi User:Nichalp/sg 08:58, September 10, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Problems???

Despite the well meaning idea behind this festival, in modern times it has led to increasing religious tensions between the hardcore Hindus and Muslims. The increasing number of fundamental hindus out to stir trouble try to pass along the routes inhabited by other religious groups thereby inciting violence (on the lines of the Orange Order marches). Environmentalists too have questioned the dumping of the idols made increasingly with chemicals which pollute the lakes and seas. On September 2004, the Chennai High Court imposed a temporary ban on such immersions. Every year there are atleast a couple of casualties associated with accidents (while dumping the idols) or clashes associated with this.

It would be helpful if the author of this particular section would provide some references. This seems to be a rather generalised view based on a few random incidents.

Rohitbd 15:32, September 6, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Example of non-Hindus involved with Ganesh Chaturthi

Changed the "Problems" section and added information about non-Hindus' involvement in Ganesh Chaturthi along with reference for the same.

Rohitbd 15:58, September 10, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Headline text

The festival is of the Hindus. It is not associated with any political party. The names can be merged into one entry - Ganesh Chaturthi. This is how it is referred to in Maharashtra. This festival occurs on the fourth day (chaturthi)of the Hindu calendar. Ganesh Chaturthi occurs around August. In these public celebrations huge images of Ganesha ranging from 10 feet to 40 feet are installed and along with the daily prayers and hymns, there are entertainment programmes which are a major attraction. Till the turn of the last century, this festival was celebrated only in homes and temples. But during the struggle for independence against British rule, freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak made it a public festival. Tilak did this so as to cleverly broadcast his political message of freedom for India. Carried out in the garb of a religious activity, it was difficult for the British Administration to curb it. But the festival once having acquired a public form for a political purpose, retained that form even after the political purpose ceased to exist. Hence even today in independent India Ganeshotsava is celebrated both publicly and privately.

        • Premkumar

[edit] wtf

a show of strenght?! who the hell wrote that?

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../g/a/n/Talk%7EGanesh_Chaturthi_8321.html"