Why medicinal plants and wild herbs on Ganesh Chaturti?

I have immense faith in some of the traditional practices and rituals followed by elders. Although i don't have belief in the way they have conveyed to us like some superstitions. Whenever, i have found the reasoning convincing, i have blogged about them here.  Today, i found an interesting article on why we do pooja with some unusual wild herbs and leaves on Lord Ganesha. I remember reading a story about this long back but am not able to recall, instead i will share this writeup i found on an organic grower's site. Hence this is my first cut pasting and  i am storing this as a post on my site.

Here goes the write up from 'Aiyor Bai' meaning  'Land and well(water)" in telugu.

The month of “Ganesh Utsav ” celebrations, that is “Bhadrapad” is basically  a month for collection of various plants of medicinal use. they are  available in plenty during this period. People in our country used to collect these medicinal plants and first offer them to Lord Ganesha and then make their medicinal use throughout the year. As the Ganesh Utsav celebration begin with  collection of medicinal plants that cure various diseases, the Lord of Wisdom is also called as “Vignaharta“. Unfortunately the offerings are thrown away after the pooja. People worship Lord Ganesha for prosperity and  success without any difficulty or hurdle in any kind of health problem.

Ganesha Chaturthi-21 patra

During Ganesh Pooja, each one  procures leaves and flowers of 21 different  plants for Pooja which are called as “Ekavinshati Patra Pooja“. All these leaves prescribed for offering to the God have medicinal values. thus, knowledge of hte prophylactic and therapeutic properties of these leaves was known to the people who penned the procedure for performing the pooja. The younger generation is expected to be trained to identify the plants and the methods of collecting them. Our ancestors had an unerring knowledge of plants and their medicinal values.

The importance and significance of the leaves used in performing the pooja. 21 types of leaves are offered to Lord Ganesha during the festival, and each leaf has an Ayurvedic significance.

1. Durva:Used a as blood purifier, keeps invisible microbes away, removes acidity, cures many skin disorders, Psoriasis, useful to remove  the troubles of the eyes due to continuous stress like computer waves.
2. Maka: Prevents decaying process, it is a good medicine for eye diseases, jaundice, eczema, oedema, obesity and also reduces the size of the tumor.
3. Aghada:  Best medicine for cough, asthama, helps in smooth passage of urine and relieves pain.
4. Dorli: Useful in asthama and cough
5. Tulsi: Helps avoid bacterial infection, such as cough, in fever due to cold  and cough, improves digestion, improves immunity, used in skin diseases like Psoriasis, ring worm which gives rise to itching, acts as a germicide.
6. Marva:  Cures skin diseases.
7. Jai: Cures mouth pustules, very useful in healing of wounds.
8. Malti:  is used for curing skin diseases like leprosy and leucoderma, nervous diseases and abdominal related diseases.
9. Dhotra: Cures or reduces  cough in the chest, reduces asthmatic attack, useful in rheumatic pain.
10. Vishnu Kranta: Vishnu Kranta patra is used for nervous related diseases and memory power
11. Kewda: Used to prevent  excessive bleeding during menses.
12. Kanher: Used in snake, scorpion bites and for curing of various types of fever.
13. Bor: Heat reliever, useful for relief from rheumatic diseases, soothing from burning heat due to fever and also bring down the temperature, gives relief from watering of eyes and shooting pain in eyes.
14. Dalimb:  is used for dysentery. Gives relief from bilious burning, semen enchancer, useful for dry cough, gives relief from bleeding from nose, used in conjunctivitis , a bilious reliever.
15. Shami: Prevents excessive discharge of urine, reduces body heat.
16. Bael or Bilva, which purifies water, is used for dysentery. Prevent loose motion, clearing of bowel, relieve griping pain, reduce the frequency of evacuation of feces, improves  function of the liver, a germicidal, removes bad odor from the body, increases the stamina and reduces excess heat from the body.
17. Hadga: cold medicine.
18. Arjun: Supreme Medicine of heart disease. useful  for setting of bones, useful for reducing the excess ft from the body.
19. Pipal: Improves articulation of small kids, improves heavy tongue and improves mental capabilities of slow learning children, used in many medicinal preparations.
20. Ashok: Keeps womb healthy, can remove sorrowful stat of mind in post natl condition.
21. Bramhi: It is a brain tonic, for sound sleep and relieves stress.
22. Jaswand: It gives mental peace, relief from headache due to biliousness.
    
    Source: http://www.astropeep.com/ayurveda-and-astrology/herbs-and-medicinal-plants-during-ganesh-chaturthi-bhadrapad-mahina-maas/