Why do we immerse God Ganesh ?

Question

As far as my knowledge is concerned nowhere it is written in any of the scriptures that God Ganesh should be immersed.If the God can give prosperity by his 10 days stay...definitely his continual stay wil give more prosperity

Answer 1

Yes. In Hindu books it is mentioned that after the Puja is completed the idols should be immersed in water unless you worship a God in the form of an idol in a temple, there daily Pujas etc. are performed. It is called Visarjan. I am sorry I am not able to give the references immediately here, but it is the custom.

Hindus pray to images of Lord Ganesha, large and small, many of them made specially for the occasion by cottage industries and street side artisans. At the beginning of Puja the Lord is invoked by chanting mantras and if you wish to keep the idols for more number of days you have to offer special daily Pujas offer Naivediams, etc. as per the custom. this is one reason for immersing the idols in the nearest water body (all rivers, lakes and the sea which are sacred to Hindus).

This function is called Visarjan. It is said that the Gods after the pujas go back to their Heavenly abode and for this reason they are immersed.

Also the Idols are made of Clay and they have to finally mix with Soil in the river, tank, sea etc.-

Answer 2

Immersion Of Ganesh Idols

Answer 3

The only explanation I can come up with is that it is a respectful way of throwing out. In India the relegious things or sacred things are not thrown out anywhere.It is thrown in the water only. to pray to a diety for a few days and discard it in water is a good idea. Otherwise it will be a burden. All the year long if the god is there it is a headache. Most of the time you will not bother that he is there. May be Ganesh is happy with a few days prayers than an year long neglect at any corner of the house.

Answer 4

Vinayaka Chaturthi or Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations end with the immersion or Visarjan of clay Ganapati idol in water. Hindus worship Brahman or the Supreme Soul present in all animate and inanimate. But for majority of the people it is not possible to worship this formlessness. They need a form to pray to, to seek help, to cry and to take blessings. Ganesha is 'OM' the primordial sound or the first 'Vaak.' Nirguna Para Brahman takes the form of Ganesha.

Clay and water is mixed to give form to the formlessness. Each person brings Ganesha in clay idol form into the home. This is the Supreme Being arriving at home. After the celebrations, it is time to accept the eternal cosmic law that which took form has to become formless again. It is a never ending cycle (Chakra).


The formlessness giving way to form and then moving again towards formlessness. Each year Ganesha arrives to teach us that forms change but the Supreme Truth remains the same. Body perishes but Brahman residing in it remains constant. This body becomes energy for another but the source of energy is the same. Bliss is achieved when we realize this.

Answer 5

Ganesha Visarjana (a Sanskrit word meaning "departure") names the Ganesha Chaturthi immersion ceremony. Especially in Maharashtra state, it takes place ten days after Ganesha Chaturthi; though in some areas Visarjana is done even on the Chaturthi day itself. It is a ceremony of fond farewell to a beloved God. On Chaturthi day we celebrate Ganesha's birthday and then honor Him as our beloved guest for ten days. Then on the tenth day, called chaturdashi, we bid Him fond farewell at the ocean shore or banks of a river or babbling brook of love and watch Him float off on the conveyance we have prepared for Him until He finally disappears from sight into the waters. We honor His departure with a grand parade, as we carry Him on a palanquin bedecked with flowers and accompanied by puja, music, dancing and celebration. Clay images of Ganesha specifically prepared for the event are ceremoniously dissolved in the ocean or other body of water at this time by devotees all over the world, signifying Ganesha's withdrawal into all-pervasive consciousness. Though the Visarjana has been celebrated as a religious festival for thousands of years, it became especially popular early in this century.

Answer 6

May be b'coz when the idol is kept in house, lots of strictness needs to be maintained, like for example if ur a non-vegetarian, you can't eat non-veg till Lord Ganesh's idol is in ur house....and various principles need to be followed very strictly....People so, follow this method....

Answer 7

Earlier, The Ganesha Idols used to be made only with Clay and Natuaral elements. It was to stress on the concept that anything that is taken from the earth should go back to the earth.

Thats why we should stress on buying Ganesha made of natural elements.

Answer 8

this is one reason for immersing the idols in the nearest water body (all rivers, lakes and the sea because it is made by clay ,it is having sticky nature while immersing the idols slowly spread the bottom of lake,tank,river ,sea,etc and stop erosion of soil, improve ground water , not to seepage or save ground water level

Answer 9

it is celebrated as a festival in the same way as we celebrate
diwali this is personal opinion about ganesha festival actually this is our way to thank god for his blessings on us human's we treat god as a guest and thank him and ask him to com again for the same next year

Answer 10

to show that even u will be immersed into earth one fine day