Why Ganesha is offered Durvas for Pooja?
Once upon a time, there used to be a demon called “Analasur”. He had the ability to spit flames. The demon used to trouble all the Gods. The Gods were distressed by Analasur’s terror and tried their best to get rid of him. When all of them failed, they appealed to Ganesha for help. Ganesha had a long battle with the demon that went for a long time. At the end, Ganesha swallowed the demon. But since the demon was made of flame, the heat became unbearable for the God. Various Gods turned to the rescue of Ganesha, prescribing their own methods, but to no avail. The sacred water from Vishnu’s lotus was administered to Him. This gave the Lord some respite, although he was still in pain. The snake of Lord Shiva was then tied around his waist. This also helped but the pain still persisted. As a last resort, 21 durvas were given to him and the Lord was finally cured. Ever since, 21 durvas are offered to the Lord as a token of devotion.
