Ganesh ji and the Moon

It was the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. Everywhere people were worshipping Ganesh ji and lovingly offering him modaks and laddoos. Seeing so much love, Ganesh ji happily ate lots and lots of modaks. His tummy became round and full.

Night fell, and the moon began to shine in the sky. Ganesh ji was riding home on his little vahan, Mushak the mouse. Suddenly a snake slid across the path. Mushak got scared and jumped, and Ganesh ji tumbled to the ground. The modaks he was carrying rolled here and there.

High up in the sky, Chandra, the moon, saw it all. Chandra was very proud of his beauty. When he saw Ganesh ji's big tummy, his elephant head and the rolling modaks, he laughed out loud.

Ganesh ji did not like this. Laughing when someone falls, or making fun of how someone looks, is never right. He said to Chandra, "You are too proud of your looks. From today no one will want to look at you, and whoever looks at you will face false blame." At once the moon's glow faded. People turned their faces away from him. The nights became dark and gloomy.

Now Chandra understood his mistake. He felt deeply ashamed. Together with all the devtas, he came to Ganesh ji, folded his hands and said, "O Ganpati, I was wrong. Please forgive me."

Ganesh ji has a very soft heart. He forgave Chandra. But words once spoken could not be fully taken back, so he said, "You will shine again. But every month you will slowly grow smaller and then slowly grow full again, so that you always remember that pride is not good. And only on the night of Shukla Chaturthi in the month of Bhadon will people avoid looking at you."

Chandra bowed his head and thanked Ganesh ji. People say that since then the moon grows smaller and bigger every month. And that is why there is a tradition of not looking at the moon on the night of Ganesh Chaturthi.