Chennai June 13 : Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, is hailed as Vighnaharta (remove of obstacles), Sukhkarta (giver of happiness), Dukhharta (the one who eliminates sorrow) etc. Devotees offer their first prayers and offerings to Lord Ganesha before beginning a puja or a new task. This is done to seek Lord Ganesha’s blessings and ensure that there are no roadblocks. And interestingly, devotees offer the Durva as a token of devotion. But why is Durva offered to Lord Ganesha? Scroll down to learn more about it.
Specific offerings are made to particular deities while performing pujas.
For instance, Tulsi is meant for Lord Vishnu (or Lord Krishna), and Vilva (Bel Patra) are for Lord Shiva. Similarly, Durva is offered to Lord Ganesha in temples and even at homes. But what is Durva, and why is it important?
What is Durva?
Durva is a type of grass consisting of blades in odd numbers. This kind of grass has a cooling effect on the body and is said to have healing properties. Furthermore, it is believed that the Durva has the powers to draw Lord Ganesha’s energies as blessings. Therefore, it becomes an indispensable part of the Archana thaal (platter consisting of various offerings.
The legend associated with Durva and Lord Ganesha
The story of the celestial singer
According to one of the tales, Lord Ganesha suffered from a burning sensation after being cursed by a celestial woman. He became a recipient of the bane after rejecting her marriage proposal. Therefore, to rid himself of the discomfort and agony, Lord Ganesha placed a few strands of the Durva on his head.
The story of Analasura
During a battle with a demon named Analasura, Lord Ganesha ended up swallowing him.
By doing so, he saved the Universe from the demon’s cruelty but endured severe burns internally. Therefore, to cure, the Gods showered him with various objects. Legend suggests that Lord Indra gifted the Moon to Ganesha, while Lord Vishnu presented the lotus. But nothing worked for the Lord. Subsequently, 88,000 sages performed puja by offering 21 blades of the Durva to Lord Ganesha. And this offering helped Lord Ganesha heal. Hence, the significance.