Palavelli, bilva patram and its importance in the Ganesh puja
Vakratunda Mahakaaya
Suryakoti Samaprabha
Nirvighnam Kuru Mey Deva
Sarva Kaaryeshu Sarvada
A broken tusk and round belly. A tray of sweets and a tiny mouse. With a crown on his head, a lotus in one arm, and Ankusam in another, Lord Vigneshwara is one of the most distinguished gods in the Hindu pantheon. It’s his birth that is celebrated with great pomp and fervor every year as Ganesh Chaturthi. Everyone is excited to welcome the lord- our streets are colorful and bustling with everything he needs during his short stay and as hosts, we all are trying to make him as comfortable as we can. His charm is diverse and multi-fold and appeals to different parts of the country in different ways.
Agajanana Padmarkam Gajanana Maharnisam
Aneka Dantham Bhaktanam Ekadantham Upasmahe
When the sun, the stars, the planets, and the entire milky way galaxy take part in the Ganesh puja.
He is believed to be super intelligent and well-balanced and hence, the Lord of wisdom symbolizes Earth’s gravitational pull, and our scriptures place him at the core of existence.
The puja preparations are incomplete without our dear Ganesh sitting below the grid pavilion with hanging fruits and leaves- the palavelli. An important ingredient of the Chaturthi rituals, palavelli signifies the vast milky way galaxy and us being a part of many solar systems that it is made of. While the gravitational pull in the milky way galaxy maintains the equilibrium, Lord Vinayaka is believed to maintain our body balance and hence is referred to him as the center of cosmic stability (Muladhara Chakra adipathi).
The varied fruits used during the puja signify the different planets and infinite stars of the galaxy and the lush green leaves represent mother nature. Velagakaya (the wood apple) steals the show as Lord Ganesh’s favorite fruit. The fruit’s irregularly shaped ellipse resembles the shape of Earth- the blue planet we call our home and hence its presence in the rituals signifies the lord’s presence and influence on us.
The traditional palavelli is a bamboo mesh decorated with fruits, but we do have a brass one at our home museum, neatly polished and shining ready to shower the lord of obstacles with devotion and demands.
The beauty of this antique palavelli at YK Antiques Home Museum lies in the details. While the beautifully carved deities on the metal frame perfectly contemplate the Lord who sits below- be it the clay Ganesh, Metal, or even a neatly framed photograph. The height of the palavelli can be adjusted using brass chains based on the idol’s height and bells on four sides complete the visual symmetry.
Ganesh is the symbol of intellectual activity and is a constant reminder of the conscious use of mind and body stability. He also reminds us of being a part of the limitless cosmos, small yet significant. Decorating palavelli with fruits, leaves, and flowers stands as a testimony to our relationship with the milky way galaxy.
You can obliterate the universe with your imagination. The universe will not exist in your experience if you create a powerful imagination. The entire Ganesh Chaturthi festival is symbolic of this.
Since time immemorial, many herbs and leaves have been a part of Ganesh Puja prayers and surprisingly, it is for various health reasons.
Performing puja with 21 types of Patras is called Ekavimsati Puja. Our ancestors used to believe that there is a scientific reason behind worshipping lord Ganesha with 21 types of Patras. Ayurveda vouches for the therapeutic benefits these herbs have, especially in fighting the common cold, cough, and flu, during the rainy season.
Agasthya patra (effective for eye-related complications), Arjuna patra (leaves strengthen ivory bones), Apamarga patra (used to treat obstetrics and gynecology), Karaveera patra (used to treat skin diseases and cardiac insufficiency), Ketaki patra (useful for urinary incontinence), Jaji patra (used to heal wounds and ulcers), Daadimi patra (curative medicine for intestinal diseases), Bruhathi patra (reduces tooth decay and toothache), Tulasi patra (effective medicine for cold-cough fever), Druva patra (quenches heat. It is one of the earliest medicinal plants in Ayurveda), Devdaru patra (controlling asthma and diabetes), Datura patra (effective for respiratory diseases), Ashwatha patra (to cure pimples), Bilva patra (Excellent remedy for intestinal ailments), Badari patra (reduces obesity), Maruvaka patra (It is known for its aromatic leaves), Sandhya pushpin patra (useful for oral diseases), Brungaraja patra (hair colour and growth), Arka patra (stimulates various glands in the body and improves their function), Vishnu kranta patra (a mind-enhancer) and finally Shami patra (alleviates diseases).
Om gananam tva ganapatim havamahe kavim kavinam upamasravastamam
jyestha rajam brahmanam brahmanas pata a nah srnvannutibhi sida sadanam
Lord Ganesha is worshipped with all sixteen rituals along with chanting of Puranik Mantras during Puja
Worshipping Gods and Goddesses with all 16 rituals is known as Shodashopachara Puja and Lord Ganesh is one of the few gods in the Hindu pantheon to have this ritual. The ritual directly derived from the Karmakand of the Vedas is performed to revere a god or goddess as a host and seek their blessings. The puja aims at raising our five senses, removing all the negative energy around and bringing us in tune with the deity.
Ahvana and Pratishthapana (Welcoming the lord and invoking him by chanting the ahvana mantra), Asana Samaprana (Offering the lord to sit), Padya Samaprana (Offering the lord a jug of water to wash his feet), Arghya Samaprana and Achamana(Offering the lord scented water to wash hands), Snana (Requesting to the lord to take a bath with plain water, panchamrutha, ghee, scented oils, sugar and rose water ), Vastra Samaprana (Offering the lord a pair of new clothes), Yagnopavitha Samaprana (Offering the lord the sacred thread), Gandha and akshitha (Asking the lord to apply sandalwood paste), Pushmala, Shami patra, Dhoop and Sindhoor ( Requesting the lord to get dressed a garland of flowers, leaves, and sindhoor), Naivedyam and Tambulam (Inviting the lord for a sumptuous lunch and offering him beetle leaves and areca nut after eating), Neerajanam (Escorting the lord back to his abode after the short stay)
The puja ends with Vinayaka vratha Katha or the story of lord Vinayaka which talks about the deity’s birth, his deeds, and his persistent blessings on all those whom he seeks his help for their needs and deeds.
Instead of propitiating each Gana to receive their blessings, we bow to their Lord, Sri Ganesha
Ganapathi, the lord of all the Ganas, contribute to the creation of all the living beings and bestows them with knowledge and wisdom. The significance of Ganesh is that he is belived to remove all obstacles. This does not mean that he is going to come and take away all your obstacles. Ganesh has a big head. They removed his small head and put a big head on him. If you have sharp and balanced intelligence, then there are no obstacles in your life.
“In heaven, Lord Ganesha will establish the predominance of gods, on earth, that of people, in the nether world, that of serpents and anti-gods” – A Hymn from Sri Bhagavat-Tattva
The sign of intelligence is that you are absolutely in tune with everything around you, you are going through life with the least amount of aberration within and outside of you. If you have sense, you will do the right thing and the festival is a constant reminder of this simple yet powerful truth.
This Ganesh Chaturthi, YK Antiques Home Museum, wishes you all success and prosperity. May the Lord bless you with health, wealth, and happiness, and keep your family safe and sound. This festival we want you all to let your innovative juices flow to mould an eco-friendly Ganesha, natural and organic and less harmful to us and our mother nature. The most important aspect is that you have been given the liberty to create a God and then dissolve a God. This is a great privilege that no other culture allows you. Please use this privilege responsibly.
Wishing you all a Happy Ganesh Chaturthi. We request you to contribute to our idea of preserving antiques and in turn our rich culture and heritage.
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One Response
Very nice article.very meaningful and having good message in the article.very neatly explained about the importance of Pooja and use of pathri in the Pooja which is having medicated of every pathri.
Good message and keep on continue your articles in futurealso