Why is Hindu custom to break coconut primarily associated with Lord Ganesh?
He is the Son of Parameswara and asked His Father to sacrifice His head with three eyes because only then, he thought any effort would be crowned with success and without any obstacle. So, instead of the head with three eyes, we are breaking coconut which has three eyes. Ganesa is so powerful as to demand the head of his own father. Whatever is superior to everything else must be sacrificed to God. Symbolically, we are sacrificing the three – eyed coconuts created by God, as ordained by Him. When a sannyasin attains Siddhi, this is done. This practice is in vogue only in Tamil Nadu. In India one of the most common offerings in a temple is a coconut. It is also offered on occasions like weddings, festivals, the use of a new vehicle, bridge, house etc. It is offered in the sacrificial fire whilst performing homa. The coconut is broken and placed before the Lord. It is later distributed as prasaada. The fibre covering of the dried coconut is removed except for a tuft on the top. The marks
