The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, also called Vinayaka Chaturthi, is one of the most revered festivals among the Hindus. The festival is observed to celebrate the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, Vighnaharta.
who is considered to be the remover of all the obstacles and the god of wisdom and prosperity. That is the reason why Ganesha is worshipped first before worshipping any other god on any auspicious occasion.
The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated in the year 2026 on Monday, 14 September 2026, on the 4th day of the 4th waxing moon, during Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi of Bhadrapada month.
As per legend, Parvati Devi created Lord Ganesha and made him guard the entrance when she had gone to take a shower. While Shiva was coming there to meet his wife, he was denied entry by the boy as he didn't know who Shiva was. An argument took place in which the head of Lord Ganesha got chopped off. Later, he was brought back to life with an elephant's head.
Major rituals associated with the festival consist of Pran Pratishtha (consecration of the Ganesha idol) that goes after Ganpati Sthapana (installation of the idol).
Before the installation ritual, the place gets cleaned and decorated, lights are lit, and sankalpam (intention) is done through praying. The followers perform poojas, chant the Vedic mantras, and make offerings during the following days. The home celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharashtra is quite an elaborated one.
Following the tradition, depending on the area, the idol can be kept for 1.5, 3, 5, 7, 10, or even 11 days before the visarjan (immersing the idol into a water body).
Food is a major element of the celebration and modak, which is a sweet dumpling, is considered to be Ganesha’s favorite food offering. In addition to modak, various regional delicacies are prepared by families as part of the bhog during the puja ceremony. Thus, Ganesh Chaturthi turns out to be as much of a feast as a religious holiday.
Whereas large pandals and extravagant statues of Ganapati are mostly associated with Ganesh Chaturthi in people's minds, the holiday may also be observed rather simply.
Short durations, such as a day-and-a-half or three-day duration, sharing of decorations and puja items in the community, along with making simple décor by oneself make it possible to observe the holiday on a shoestring budget.
Essentially, the purpose of celebrating the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is about celebrating the concepts of rebirth, humility, and devotion to God and one another.
The elephant head of Lord Ganesha is taken to be a symbol of wisdom while the big ears symbolize listening more and his whole structure is considered to be the representation of patience and perseverance.
