ADF styled Vedic Ganesh Chaturthi ritual

          As a follower and devotee of Ganesha, the Chaturthi is one of the important none traditional High Days for me as a Druid. It is the Vedic/Hindu celebration devoted completely to Lord Ganapetia. In India millions of people take to the streets with flowers, fruits, sweets, and various other offerings as they parade massive statues made from plaster of the Lord. These processions lead to the ocean where the statues are submerged into the sea or rivers which lead to the sea.

Here is a video of these celebrations:

          The old Grove chose to celebrate this as a group. I created a Paper Mache statue of Ganesha that was used in the ritual. We decorated him with flowers and gave offerings of fruits, sweets, and coconuts before we placed him in the fire to send our love and devotions to him in the heavens. The following is the ritual which we performed on this day.

Ganesh Chaturthi (Vedic)

Precession Song: (Bardic)  We approach the Sacred Grove with hearts and minds, flesh and bones, Join us now in ways of old, we have come home. We have come home.

Purification of the people

Welcome (Yellow) 

World Tree Meditation (Yellow) 

Consecration of Place and Time

Offering to the Outsiders:   (Yellow) Outdwellers, turn from our grove!

Offering to Agni: (Yellow) Might Agni, be in our grove!

Offering to the Earth Mother: (Yellow) Beloved kSétrasya pátnī (kSeh-tras-yah pat-nih), be in our grove!

Offering to Poetic Inspiration: (            ) Spirit of Inspiration, be in our grove!

Recreation of the Cosmos and Establishing Scared Center (Yellow)

Invocation of Gatekeeper: Honored Mushika, come to our grove!

Opening of the Gate:      Well, Tree, Fire

CHORUS 
By Fire and by Water, between the Earth and Sky
We stand like the World-Tree rooted deep, crowned high. (repeat once) 

(Yellow makes offering of silver to well-opens the gate)

Come we now to the Well, the eye and the mouth of Earth,
Come we now to the Well, and silver we bring,
Come we now to the Well, the waters of rebirth,
Come we now to the Well, together we sing: 

CHORUS

(Yellow makes offering to the tree-opens the gate)

Gather we at the Tree, the root & the crown of all,
Gather we at the Tree, Below & above,
Gather we at the Tree, Together we make our call,
Gather we at the Tree, In wisdom & love. 

CHORUS 

(Yellow makes offering to the fire-opens the gate)

We will kindle a Fire, Bless all, and with harm to none,
We will kindle a Fire, and offering pour,
We will kindle a Fire, A light 'neath the Moon & Sun,
We will kindle a fire, our spirits will soar. 

CHORUS (with gusto)

All: Let the gates be OPEN!

                Let the gates be OPEN!

                Let the gates be OPEN!

Chorus

(Yellow): The gates are OPEN!

Kindred Invocations

Offering to Ancestors:  (Blue) Beloved Ancestors, accept our offering!

Offering to Nature Spirits: (Green) Spirits of Nature, accept our offering!

Offering to the Gods:  (Red) Mighty gods, accept our offering!

Song: (Bardic)      Gods & Dead & Mighty Sidhe, Powers of earth & sky and sea. By fire & well, by sacred tree, Offerings we make to ye!

Main Rite

Kindred of the Occasion Invocation:

Invocation to Ganesha (Yellow):

[Ganesha Invocation: 108 count] om gam ganapataye namaha

(offerings of sweets, flowers, and fruits)

Praise Offerings (For Ganesha Alone):

Main Offering (Prayer of Sacrifice) Yellow:

[Prayer to Ganesha Remover of Obstacles]

(offering of drink and fruit)

Taking of the Omen:

Cup Litany:

(Blue)                  You among the Mighty Dead, ancestors to us all,
                           Offerings we have made, offerings you have received.
                           We ask that you bless these Waters so we may share in the wisdom of
                           Your great Knowledge!

(All) The gifts of the Ancestors for the people of the Ancestors!

(Green)               You of land, sea, and sky; both mortal and spirit alike,
                           You who are the Nature Spirits,
                           Offerings we have made, offerings you have received.
                           We ask that you bless these Waters so we may share in the warmth of your
                           Great Kinship!

(All) The gifts of the Nature Spirits for the kin of the Nature Spirits!


(Red)                 You among the divine and gods and goddesses of all time,
                          Offerings we have made, offerings you have received.
                          We ask that you bless these Waters so we may share in the great Light of
                          Your Truth!

(All) The gifts of the Gods for the children of the Gods!

(Yellow)                 In the name of Memory, the preserving shrine.(Well)

                              In the name of Earth, our common mother.(Tree)

                              In the name of Truth, the light which has no beginning and no end.(Fire)

                               

                              May we never know thirst or need while in your service. Awen! (Make sign of ADF sigil over the Waters of Life)

Return the Waters of the Earth: We return the Water of Life so that the land will be better for us having been here. Hail great giving Earth! Keep safe always the sacrifice, keep it ever holy!

Working: 

End of Rite

Thank deity of occasion:

Thank the Gods: (Red)

Thank the Nature Spirits: (Green)

Thank the Ancestors: (Blue)

Thank the Spirits of Inspiration: (           )

Thank the Earth Mother: (Yellow)

De-Hallowing of the Fire, Well, & Tree; Close the Gate, and thank Ganesha: (Facilitator-Yellow)

Closing Meditation  (Yellow)

End of ritual

Song: (Bardic)   Walk with wisdom from this hallowed place. Walk not in sorrow, our roots shall ere embrace. May strength be your brother, and honour be your friend, And luck be your lover until we meet again.