Answer: Despite having an idol of Ganapati that is routinely worshipped, a new idol is brought for Ganesh Chaturthi. The reason being , during the period of Ganesh Chaturthi, Ganesh frequencies reach the earth in very large quantities. If these frequencies are invoked in the usual idol of worship then that idol will imbibe a tremendous amount of energy. To worship such an idol by meticulously observing all the norms of ritualistic worship throughout the year is a difficult task, since, one has to follow the restrictions of ritualistic worship (karmakand). Hence a new idol is installed to invoke and imbibe the Ganesh frequencies and is then immersed. The proportion of sattva, raja and tama components in the Ganesh frequencies is 5:5:5 while that in an average person is 1:3:5. This makes it difficult for an average person to imbibe Ganesh frequencies for a long time.
Answer: 'An idol of Ganapati is sculpted from mud on the fourth day (chaturthi) of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Bhadrapad. It is placed on the left palm and is consecrated with the name Siddhivinayak. According to the scriptures, it should be ritualistically worshipped and immersed immediately thereafter. However, since man enjoys celebrating festivals, he was not satisfied with this and began festivities by keeping the idol for one and a half, five, seven or ten days. Many people immerse Ganapati along with Gauri. If the Ganapati idol has to be worshipped for five days according to one's family tradition of spiritual practice (kulachar) yet one can worship the idol for one and a half or seven days if one desires so. One need not ask an authority in Spirituality before doing so.
Answer: If a part of the idol breaks before consecrating it with divinity or after showering it with consecrated rice (akshata) to withdraw divinity from it before immersion, then there is no need to worry. If a part of the idol is damaged before its consecration then the idol should be replaced by another, whereas, if it is damaged after the divinity is withdrawn , the idol should be immersed as usual. If the idol is damaged after consecration, it should be immersed after showering consecrated rice on it. If this occurs on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, one should worship a new idol. However, if this occurs on the second or third day of Ganesh Chaturthi, there is no need to do so. If the idol is damaged completely then, with the advice of the family priest, one should perform the 'Adbhut Darshan Shanti', a ritual for peace in the family, according to one's convenience. If ill-omen like falling of a lit lamp, breaking of the grinding stone, flowering of a cress tree, damage to an idol, etc. occur, they are indicative of an impending financial loss, a serious illness or an untimely death in the family. Hence, the above remedy should be undertaken with faith (shraddhaa).'
Answer: Looking at the moon is prohibited on this day
because the moon is the cause of the mind, that is it provokes the mind to operate.
However a seeker wants to attain thoughtlessness. In the constellation of planets,
just as the moon is unstable as it has phases of waxing and waning so is the
mind unstable in the physical body. Looking at the moon increases the instability
of the mind by 1/1,00,000 times. Only when the mind becomes thoughtless does
one attain the turiyavastha. On sankashti, after doing spiritual practice the
whole day, the moon is viewed at night. This is an indication for the mind to
return to the usual state after doing spiritual practice that day. The story
connected with this in the Purans (mythological texts) goes thus. Once the moon
ridiculed Ganapati saying, What a big belly You have, Your ears are like sifting
pans, that trunk is weird and those eyes are so tiny !' So, Ganapati cursed
it, Henceforth no one shall look at your face. Whoever does so will be accused
of theft.' Accordingly everyone began to avoid the moon. So it could not go
anywhere. Living in seclusion is very difficult. Hence, the moon appeased Ganapati
by performing austerities and pleaded for mitigation of the curse. When reducing
the intensity of a curse, the main curse should not be destroyed. Both the curse
and its mitigation should be present in certain proportions. It is not appropriate
for Me to destroy a curse given by Me completely.' Thinking thus, Ganapati mitigated
the curse given to the moon by saying,' None shall look at you on the day of
Ganesh Chaturthi. However on Sankashti Chaturthi, no one will eat their meal
without looking at you.'
Ref.: The book 'Ganapati' published by Sanatan Sanstha.
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Scientific Chaturthi rituals