Ganesh Chaturthi is also known as Ganesh Utsav. It is primarily a Hindu festival celebrated with great pomp and show. Lord Ganesh is the son of Lord Shiva and is the deity of knowledge, prosperity, and the remover of obstacles. This festival is celebrated all over India.
Ganesh Festival 2025: Date and Auspicious Muhurat
In 2025, Ganesh Festival will be celebrated on Wednesday, August 27. The festivities traditionally last for ten days, culminating in Ganesh Visarjan on Anant Chaturdashi.
The most auspicious time for the puja (worship) is the Madhyahna Ganesha Puja Muhurat, as it is believed that Lord Ganesha was born during this midday period.
- Chaturthi Tithi Begins: 1:54 PM on Tuesday, August 26, 2025
- Chaturthi Tithi Ends: 3:44 PM on Wednesday, August 27, 2025
- Madhyahna Ganesha Puja Muhurat: 11:06 AM to 1:40 PM on Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Best wishes For Ganesh Festival
The Fasting (Vrat) Ganesh Festival
Fasting on Ganesh Chaturthi is a personal choice, but it is widely observed by devotees to seek blessings for wisdom, prosperity, and the removal of obstacles. The rules for the fast are generally as follows:
- Types of Fasting: Devotees may observe a Nirjala Vrat (fast without water and food for the entire day) or a Phalahar Vrat (consuming fruits, milk, nuts, and certain permissible foods while avoiding grains and pulses).
- Permissible Foods: If observing a partial fast, you can consume a variety of foods that are considered sattvic (pure and clean). These include:
- Fruits and Milk: Fresh fruits, dry fruits, and milk-based products.
- Root Vegetables: Potatoes and sweet potatoes are commonly consumed.
- Salt: Only rock salt (sendha namak) is used instead of regular table salt.
- Foods to Avoid: To maintain the purity of the fast, a strict vegetarian diet is followed. Devotees avoid:
- Grains and pulses (rice, wheat, lentils).
- Onions and garlic.
- Non-vegetarian food, including meat and eggs.
- Alcohol and processed foods.
- Hydration: Staying hydrated is crucial. It is recommended to drink plenty of water, coconut water, or lemon water throughout the day.
- Breaking the Fast: The fast is typically broken in the evening after performing the Ganesh puja and offering prasad (sanctified food) to the deity.
How to Celebrate Ganesh festival at Home
Bringing Ganpati Bappa home is a deeply spiritual and festive experience. Here’s a simple guide to help you celebrate this auspicious occasion with devotion and joy:
Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi at home is a beautiful and personal experience that brings a great deal of joy and positive energy into your life. While public celebrations are grand, a home puja allows for an intimate connection with Lord Ganesha. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you celebrate this auspicious festival at home.
1. Preparing Your Home and the Altar
- Cleanliness is Key: A few days before Ganesh Chaturthi, thoroughly clean and declutter your home. This is a symbolic act of purifying your space to welcome the divine presence.
- Create the Puja Space: Choose a clean and quiet corner of your home for the altar. It should be a raised platform or a small table.
- Decorate the Area: Drape the platform with a new, clean cloth (red or yellow are considered auspicious colors). Decorate the area with fresh flowers, mango leaves, and a beautiful rangoli design on the floor. You can also use fairy lights or traditional diyas (oil lamps) to create a festive atmosphere.
2. Bringing the Ganesha Idol Home
- Choose the Right Idol: Opt for an eco-friendly idol made of natural clay (shadu mitti), paper mache, or even a Ganesha idol with seeds that can be later planted. This is a conscious and respectful way to honor the environment.
- Welcome the Deity: On the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, bring the idol home with a feeling of devotion and joy. It is customary to chant “Ganpati Bappa Morya!” as you carry the idol.
3. The Puja Ritual (Puja Vidhi)
- The Sthapana (Installation): Place the Ganesha idol on the prepared altar. It is generally recommended to have the idol facing north or east.
- The Pranapratishtha (Invocation): This is the most significant ritual, where you invite the deity to reside in the idol. You can either perform this yourself by following a guided puja vidhi or have a priest do it for you. This involves chanting mantras and making offerings.
- The 16 Offerings (Shodashopachara): The main puja consists of 16 steps, which can be as simple or elaborate as you wish. These include:
- Abhisheka (Bathing): If your idol is made of clay and can withstand water, you can give it a symbolic bath with water, milk, honey, yogurt, and ghee (panchamrit).
- Vastropachara (Offering Clothes and Ornaments): Dress the idol with new clothes and adorn it with jewelry.
- Pushpopachara (Offering Flowers): Offer fresh flowers, especially red hibiscus (jaswand) and a special type of grass called durva.
- Dhupopachara (Offering Incense): Light incense sticks and offer their fragrance to the deity.
- Deepopachara (Offering Light): Light a ghee or oil lamp.
- Naivedya (Food Offering): This is where the famous modak comes in! Prepare a variety of Ganesha’s favorite sweets like modaks, ladoos, and other delicacies. Place them on a clean plate and offer them as bhog.
4. Daily Celebrations and Rituals
- Daily Aarti and Bhajans: For the duration of the festival (1.5, 3, 5, 7, 9, or 10 days), perform aarti in the morning and evening. You can use traditional aarti songs like “Jai Ganesh Jai Ganesh Deva” or “Sukhkarta Dukhharta“.
- Mantra Chanting: Reciting mantras such as “Om Gan Ganapataye Namaha” is a powerful way to connect with the divine energy of Ganesha.
- Storytelling: Share stories about Lord Ganesha with your family, especially children. This helps in understanding the significance of the festival and the wisdom that Lord Ganesha represents.
5. The Visarjan (Immersion)
- Prepare for Farewell: On the day of visarjan, perform a final aarti and offer your prayers, thanking Lord Ganesha for his blessings.
- Eco-Friendly Visarjan: Since you chose an eco-friendly idol, you can perform the immersion at home in a large bucket or tub of water. Once the idol dissolves, you can use the clay-rich water to nourish plants in your garden. This symbolizes the cycle of creation and dissolution and is a beautiful way to complete the celebration while being mindful of the environment.
