We celebrate Ganeshotsav every year with the same enthusiasm and faith in God. We are all connected with nature by the celebrations of our various festivals. Each of these festivals teaches us to appreciate nature. In a way it actually motivates us to conserve nature and its resources. Indian culture respects all the components of nature as some or other form of God itself – be it living or non-living. With the use of various types of flowers, fruits, leaves, etc. in worshipping our Gods, this culture of ours is teaching us to conserve all these forms of nature.
During this year’s Ganesh Festival, let us try and connect ourselves with the various plants that are used during this festival. Along with various types of flowers, 21 types of leaves are used to offer Lord Ganesh during this festival. Many of us must be aware of few of these plants. But we can introduce ourselves to some more plants this year. Many of us must have planted some of these plants either in pots or in home gardens.
Many of us share the photos of our festivals through various forms of social media. This year let us share photos of the plants that we have which are used to offer Lord Ganseh along with the photos of Lord Himself. This will help create awareness about these plants which are a part of this festival. In future, we all can work together towards conservation of these plant species. Our such small acts will motivate and encourage others too. This is just a small act of creating and spreading awareness about these plants – which is call as ‘patri’ in Marathi.
Considering the COVID-19 situation this year, let us all celebrate the Gneshotsav by taking necessary safety precautions and care for us as well as for others.
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श्री गणेशाच्या पूजेतील पत्रीच्या वनस्पतींची ओळख व संवर्धन
आपल्या सर्व सण आणि उत्सवांच्या माध्यमातून आपण निसर्गाशी, त्याच्या विविध रूपांशी जोडलेले आहोत. सणांमधून निसर्गाबद्दलची कृतज्ञता व्यक्त करण्याची शिकवणही आपल्याला मिळते.
यावर्षीच्या गणेशोत्सवाच्या निमित्ताने आपण सर्वजण या विविध वनस्पतींची ओळख करून घेण्याचा एक प्रयत्न करूया. गणेशोत्सवाच्या निमित्तानेही आपण पूजेसाठी विविध फुले व पाने (पत्री) यांचा उपयोग करतो. त्यानिमित्ताने मानवाला पिढ्यानपिढ्या यातील विविध वनस्पती ओळखता येत आहेत. काही वनस्पतींच्या औषधी गुणधर्मांचाही अभ्यास झालेला आहे. श्रीगणेशाच्या पूजेमध्ये २१ प्रकारची पत्री वाहिली जाते. अर्थात यातील काही वनस्पती आपण निश्चितपणे ओळखत असालच. आपल्या घरात कुंड्यांमध्ये किंवा घरच्या आजूबाजूच्या मोकळ्या जागेत / परसबागेमध्ये यातील काही वनस्पती तुम्ही लावलेल्या असतील आणि त्यांची जोपासना करीत असाल.
यावर्षीची कोरोनामुळे उद्भवलेली परिस्थिती लक्षात घेता आपण स्वतःची, आपल्या कुटुंबाची आणि आजूबाजूच्या सर्वांचीच काळजी घेऊन गणेशोत्सव साजरा करूयात.
Krishivarada 