Every Indian Hindu family has a strong faith in Lord Ganesha; he is considered to be the God of good beginnings, happiness, and prosperity, and is believed to take away all the troubles of the worshippers. Known by many other names such as Vighnesh, Ganapati, Ekadanta, and Gajanana to name just a few, Lord Ganesha is also called as Aadideva, i.e., the God that is worshipped before all others. No Pooja, havan or spiritual occasion takes place before praying to Lord Ganesha, and no Hindu household can be seen without an idol or picture of him.

Through this blog, Samskara is trying to bring to your notice the importance of having Ganpati at home, and the intricacies involved with it. Let’s see the various criteria that need to be kept in mind while purchasing a Ganesha for home.

Which colour Ganesha idol is good for home –

You will be quite intrigued to know that different colours of Ganesha idols have different implications for your home. While a white Ganesha idol for home indicates peace and prosperity, yellow symbolizes auspiciousness and faithfulness. A vermilion colour Ganesha symbolizes self-growth and success, and a silver Ganesha is believed to bring immense fame to the worshipper. In general, the best Ganesh idol for home is believed to be a brass one, as it brings enormous success and prosperity.

Which type of Ganesha murti is best for home in terms of posture –

Did you know that there are more than 30 types of Ganesha idols we can choose from, to keep at home? Let’s not go deeper into it and focus on the types of Ganpati murti that can be kept at home. Ideally, a Ganesha idol in lalitasana (sitting posture) is preferred to be worshipped at home, as a sitting Ganesha symbolises a peaceful demeanour and inspires a calm environment at home. You can also go for a Ganesha idol in a reclining posture, which represents amenity, comfort and affluence.

Direction of the trunk of the Ganesha idol for Pooja room -

There are so many different types of Ganesh murtis available in the market, and before you finalize the one you wish to keep in your Pooja room, do have a look at the trunk of the idol. You will have to ensure that the trunk of the murti is facing the left side of Ganesha. According to the Vaastu experts, a trunk tilted towards the left of Ganesha symbolizes contentment and triumph. Also, experts believe that the Lord with a trunk tilted towards its right is difficult to gratify as it signifies the influence of the sun. Also, a whole set of religious rituals have to be carried out while performing the Pooja. So, no matter how pretty the Ganesha murti is, you shouldn’t purchase it if its trunk is not tilted towards the left.

Small things about your Ganesha idol for home puja, that matter a lot!

Sometimes, it is the smallest things that mean the most when it comes to choosing an idol of Ganesh for home. Remember the most popular sloka of Ganesha – Mooshika vahana, modaka hasta – explicitly explaining the importance of Mooshika, the tiny mouse that Lord Ganesha rides on, and the sweet dumplings that Lord Ganesha relishes a lot. The mouse symbolizes our ego, which needs to be kept under our control. It also symbolizes our ever-wandering mind, which we need to keep under our control with our consciousness. The modak represents the rewards for dedication and perseverance. Even though there are so many stylish new style Ganesh murtis available in the market, a Ganesha idol without these is considered incomplete, and less effective as well.

In which direction should the Ganesh murti for home temple be placed?

Ganesha is the darling son of Lord Shiva, and they both share a very special bond. The place of Lord Shiva is in the North (obviously, because he is believed to be living on Kailasa). While placing a Ganesh murti for home mandir, you will have to ensure that the idol is facing the North direction, or the North-east direction – as it is considered the best for the home. Ganesh murthi should never be facing South direction.

Points to keep in mind while keeping a Ganesh idol for home puja –

At Samskara, we strongly feel that it is necessary to learn the don’ts also, when it comes to spiritual and religious matters. Here are some of the important matters when you are placing a Ganesha murti at home -

• Do not keep more than one idol of Ganpati at home.
• Avoid placing the Ganesha idols beneath stairways as such places are full of negative energies.
• Avoid keeping Ganesha statues in vacant spaces like garages and store rooms, as these places obstruct the flow of positivity and good energies.
• Ganesha statues at home or offices should not be kept in bathrooms, or facing the bathrooms.
• The place where Ganesha idol is kept should be maintained neatly, as dirt doesn’t allow positive energies to flow through.
• The answer to the question “which Ganesha idol is good for office”, or “what kinds of rules to be followed with office Ganesha idols”, is that everything is applicable as it is for a home Ganesha murti.
• Proper religious rituals and rules should be followed while installing the Ganesha moorti at home as well as at the office.

Our Samskaras (traditions) teach us that irrespective of how expensive or how big the lord’s idol is, what matters is how big the devotion or sadhana is. With that very thought, we at Samskara believe that our products – idols, pooja essentials and pooja room décor items – help you to fulfil your devotion to the divine!