Ganesh Chaturthi (IAST: Gaṇeśa Chaturṭhī, sanskrit: गणेश चतुर्थी) (Ganesh Festival) is a day on which Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees. It is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi in Sanskrit, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu and as Chathaa (चथा) in Nepal Bhasa. It is the birthday of Lord Ganesha. The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). Typically the day falls sometime between August 20 and September 15. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Ananta Chaturdashi.

Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati, is widely worshipped as the supreme god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune.

While held all over India, it is at its most elaborate in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and other areas which were former states of the Maratha Empire. Outside India, it is celebrated by Newars in Nepal.

A ganesh idol costing Rs 7 crore (2007) is presented at GSB Mandal Ganpati in Wadala, Mumbai.

Rituals :

During the Ganesha festival, a household worships a statue of Shri Ganesha. The worship lasts an odd number of days (from 1 to 11 days, sometimes 13).

This festival starting with the installation of beautifully engraved (sculptured) Ganesh idols in colorfully decorated homes and mantapas (pandals) in every locality. People give their contributions for installing Ganesh matapas. The mantapas are depicted by religious themes or current events. The idols are worshipped with families and friends.

The main sweet dish during the festival is the modak ([modagam]or modakam in South India). A modak is a dumpling made from rice flour/wheat flour with a stuffing of fresh or dry-grated coconut, jaggery and some other condiments. It is either steam-cooked or fried. Another popular sweet dish is the karanji (karjikaiin Kannada) which is similar to the modak in composition and taste but has the shape of the 4th day moon.

Public celebrations of the festival are hugely popular, with local communities (mandalas) vying with each other to put up the biggest idol. The festival is also the time for cultural activities like songs, dramas and orchestra.

Today, the Ganesh Festival is not only a popular festival - it has become a very critical and important economic activity for Maharashtra. Many artists, industries, and businesses survive on this mega-event. Ganesh Festival also provides a stage for budding artists to present their art to the public. The same holds true for Hyderabad too.


For the year 2007 in the Western Calendar, Ganesha Chaturthi has commenced on Saturday, September 15th and its attributed festival of ganesha's mother, gowri (a form of parvathi), gowripuja comes on 13th (the day before)

Ganesh Festival In Pune

There are five "Ganpati of Honour." They are as follows: First Ganpati of Honour - Kasba Ganpati; Second Ganpati of Honour - Tambadi Jogeshwari; Third Ganpati of Honour - Guruji Talim; Fourth Ganpati of Honour - Tulsibaug Ganpati; and Fifth Ganpati of Honour - Kesariwada Ganpati. Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandal and Akhil Mandai Mandal are also worshipped by crores of people across globe.

During the festival, people sing prayers called "bhajans" & perform rituals called Aartis. They visit the homes of their friends and relatives who have Ganesh idols at their homes.

Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak brought Ganesha as a deity out on the streets. It was a unique move by this freedom fighter, which he achieved with the Ganpati visarjana or immersion procession, wherein the mass output of several Ganesh mandals is taken out on a parade on the final day of the Ganesh festival and taken to be immersed. This process was started in 1893 and is now prevalent virtually all over Maharashtra, with special emphasis on Mumbai and Pune. Lokmanya Tilak attached this mass celebration to increase national awareness about the Freedom movement. Herein, neighborhood Ganeshas are worshiped and brought to immersion sites, where huge crowds gather to bid him an emotional and frenzied farewell.

In Pune, as the sun sets over darkening rivers, the images are taken out in boats and as each one is immersed, a cry is raised asking him to return the next year. It is an emotional and public farewell to their beloved god as parthiva (of the earth), who will rise once again the following year.

The first day commemorates certain events connected with Ganesha. It is the day on which he materialised as Mayureshwara, to kill the demon Sindhu, who had acquired extraordinary powers through the worship of Surya. Mayureshwara is also one of the ashtavinayakas (the eight forms of Ganesha). This is also the birth that Shiva has chosen to celebrate in Kailasa.

A special puja is performed for Ganesha. The worship of the deity involves getting a corner ready to receive the god. The puja begins with special chantings and offerings like the Panchamrut (five nectars), which include milk, curd, ghee, honey and jaggery. The God is bathed in these, cleansed & dried.

Ganesha is then given a red garment and the sacred thread - saying it is silver. He is then smeared with red sandal paste and offered red or yellow flowers. A lamp is lit, bells chime and food is offered in six symbolic mouthfuls - not to the god's body, but to his five panchapranas or 'vital breaths' and the one beyond - the absolute.

During the festival, puja is performed twice every day - once in the morning and again in the evening. Ganesha is offered special leaves and flowers, 21 of each and white durva grass. The murti is formally installed on the first day. Touching the murti with blades of durva grass, he is brought to life step by step and made to go through 15 of the 16 rites of passage that each Hindu goes through in his lifetime. (The sixteenth one, which is for death, is omitted.)

The Ganesha mantra is chanted, followed by a Ganesha prayer. Ganesha is called by his 108 good names. The last puja done, the family or congregation gathers around and rice grains are placed on the head of the murti, which is moved, symbolically unseating him.