Happy Ganesha Habba!!

Wishing you all a Happy Ganesha habba !!!

The legend behind Ganesha Chaturthi's Moon -
There is a popular legend that warns against sighting the moon on the night of Ganesh chathurti. Why?? Chk this out...
Once Ganesha had come to earth on chaturthi and had a heavy meal of 'kadabus'(Modakas) offered by his devotees. So, his stomach had bulged to a very 'unhealthy' size. He was returning back home on his vehicle - the 'mouse'. Suddenly, the mouse tripped on seeing a snake. Ganesha fell off the mouse and his over-full stomach burst open and out tumbled the modakas.
Seeing this comic scene, the moon, which was shining bright by the way, burst out laughing!! Ganesha grew seriously angry, took the snake and tied it around his waist. Then, cursed the moon that he a'int gonna shine any more and that no one should look at the moon on the Ganesh Chaturthi day. If anybody does, he will surely earn a bad name or be falsely accused.
Only after a mistake do we repent, the same happened with the moon. He pleaded with ganesha about how 'stupid' he was and all that. Ganesha being kind-hearted relented but said Moon would no longer shine in full glory every night. He would wax and wane from a bright fortnight to a dark fortnight ending with the Full Moon and the New Moon alternately and anybody who does a mistake of seeing it on a Ganesha chaturthi can negate the effect of the curse by listening to the story of syamantaka jewel,or by reciting this sloka given below.

siMhaH prasenamavadhee siMho jAmbavatA hataH |
sukumAraka mA rodIH tava hyeshha syamantakaH ||

Translation - A lion killed Prasena; the lion was killed by Jambavan. Don't cry, O dear child! This syamantaka jewel is yours.

So, people be careful abt seeing the the moon today and "Ganesha habbada shubashayagalu", may Ganesha give you all siddhi, success in undertakings, and buddhi, intelligence.

All about ganesha - http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/articles/ganesha_chaturthi_legends_prayers.htm

Recipe for Kadabu - http://www.malasa.com/cookbook/Sweets/Modaka.htm