Ganesh Chaturthi marks the birth of Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity who is invoked at the start of every undertaking. The festival falls in the bright half of the month of Bhadrapada. Families bring home a clay idol, invite the deity into it, worship him for a chosen number of days and then take him to flowing or still water for visarjan, the respectful send-off.
Timing
The main puja is done in the middle of the day, in the late morning to early afternoon, and the exact muhurat varies by city. The Ganesh Chaturthi page gives dates and puja times for 49 cities, including New York, London and New Delhi. We do not give dates here. A traditional note: many families avoid looking at the Moon on the evening of Chaturthi, and your family will tell you how they keep that.
Samagri: what to gather
| Item | Use |
|---|---|
| Clay Ganesha idol | Installed on a clean stool; clay is traditional because it dissolves in water |
| Red cloth, flowers and a garland | For the seat and the offering; red hibiscus is the traditional flower |
| 21 blades of durva grass | Offered in sets, one of Ganesha’s favourite offerings |
| Modak, laddu, coconut, banana | Naivedya; modak is the sweet most linked to him |
| Kumkum, turmeric, sandal, rice grains | Tilak and offering |
| Kalash, mango leaves, coconut | Held beside the idol |
| Incense, lamp, camphor | For worship and the aarti |
| Janeu (sacred thread), betel leaf, supari | Offered in many homes |
Steps in order
- Clean the place, set up the stool, spread the cloth and sit facing the idol.
- Light a lamp, then carry out the sankalp, stating your intention in your own words or your priest’s.
- Perform pranapratishtha: with a mantra or a prayer, invite Ganesha to be present in the idol. After this he is treated as an honoured guest.
- Offer the sixteen traditional services in order: a seat, water for the feet and hands, a bath with water or panchamrit, new cloth, the thread, sandal and kumkum, flowers, incense, a lamp, naivedya, betel, a circumambulation and a prostration.
- Offer the 21 durva blades one at a time with Ganesha’s names, and place the modak before him.
- Sing the Ganesh aarti with a lamp, and share the prasad.
- Repeat a shorter worship morning and evening for as many days as the idol stays.
- On the last day, do a final aarti, ask forgiveness for any lapse, and carry the idol to water for visarjan, with the traditional call that he will return the next year.
The katha
The popular story, from the Puranic tradition, tells that Parvati made a boy from the paste of turmeric she used for her bath and asked him to guard the door while she bathed. When Shiva returned, the boy, who did not know him, stopped him at the door. Shiva, angry, struck off the boy’s head. Parvati’s grief was so great that Shiva promised to restore him, and sent his attendants to bring the head of the first creature they found facing north. It was an elephant.
Shiva fixed the elephant’s head to the boy and gave him life, and named him leader of his hosts, Ganapati. He declared that Ganesha would be worshipped first, before every other deity.
There is also the tale that explains why the Moon is avoided on this night. Ganesha, round with sweets, once fell on the way home, and the Moon laughed. He cursed the Moon, and later softened the curse. Different regions tell the details differently.
Regional variations
Customs differ by region and family; follow your family’s custom. In Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka, large community pandals sit beside household idols. In Tamil Nadu the day is called Vinayaka Chaturthi, and the kozhukattai, a steamed dumpling, is a common naivedya. Some families keep the idol for one and a half days only, others for ten.
Fasting and food
Many families do not fast and take a festive meal after the puja; some stay without food until the offering is made. Someone who is pregnant, diabetic, ill or taking medication should speak with a doctor before fasting, and may simply eat the prasad on time.
Frequently asked questions
↳ Why is a clay idol preferred?
Clay returns to the water without harm, which fits the idea that the idol is a temporary home for the deity. Many communities now choose plain clay and natural colours to protect rivers and lakes.
↳ How many days should the idol stay?
Families keep him for a day and a half, three, five, seven or ten days. Each is common and valid; the number follows what your family has done before.
↳ What are the 21 durva blades for?
Durva is Ganesha's traditional offering. The number 21 is common in the tradition, offered in pairs or sets with his names, though some families offer fewer.
↳ What if I cannot do visarjan in water?
Many households immerse the idol in a bucket at home and later use the clay in a plant pot. This is widely accepted and gentler on local water.