Regional Sacred Stories · Stories Told Across the Land
In Hindu ritual worship across India, one convention is followed with remarkable consistency: the Navagrahas, the nine celestial bodies of Vedic astrology, are worshipped only after Shree Ganesh has first received his due honor.
An Order Fixed by Custom
Whatever the specific ceremony, a puja, a housewarming, a wedding, the Navagrahas, Surya, Chandra, Mangal, Budha, Brihaspati, Shukra, Shani, Rahu, and Ketu, are invoked only after Shree Ganesh has been worshipped first, a precedence maintained without exception in traditional ritual practice.
What the Precedence Reflects
This ordering reflects Shree Ganesh's broader role as the deity who must be approached before any other undertaking, ritual or otherwise, can proceed smoothly, the Navagrahas, powerful as they are held to be over fate and fortune, are honored only once the path to reach them has first been cleared.
What Devotees Seek
Devotees performing any ritual involving the Navagrahas follow this order carefully, trusting that even the planets themselves are approached more fruitfully once Shree Ganesh's blessing has already been secured.