Shri Ganesh Chaturthi 2026

With the arrival of Bhadrapad, households across India prepare to welcome Shri Ganesh ji and celebrate the much-awaited festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. Bhadrapad Shukla Chaturthi (the fourth day of the bright fortnight in the Hindu lunar month of Bhadrapad) is when Shri Ganesh ji bestows maximum benefit of His presence to all His devotees on Earth. This started as a Vrat (avowed religious observance) celebrated by families. Now, this one day Vrat has taken the form of a 10 day long community festival which unites and awakens collective devotion. It is on Ganesh Chaturthi that the Ganesh tattva (Divine Principle) becomes especially active on Earth, a thousand times more than usual. Hence, worship performed in this spiritually charged period fetches far greater benefits. In 2026, Shri Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on 14th September.

Here we will explore how to celebrate Ganeshotsav so that we can obtain the maximum benefit of the Ganesh tattva, what to offer Shri Ganesh ji, why the scriptures prohibit viewing of the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi, and so on…

Ganesh Chaturthi, 2023, complete puja rituals

Origins of Ganeshotsav

The Siddhivinayak vrat as per the scriptures – A small murti of Shri Ganesh ji should be sculpted from mud/clay on Bhadrapad Shukla Chaturthi. Place this murti on the left palm, consecrate it there itself with the Name ‘Siddhivinayak’, offer puja and immediately immerse it in flowing water.
What began as a simple family vrat gradually expanded into celebrations of one and a half, three, five, seven, and ten days, which is a reflection of people’s natural love for festivity and devotion. Lokmanya Tilak played a key role in the widespread celebration of Ganeshotsav and today in most parts of the country, Ganeshotsav is celebrated almost like a national festival. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu are especially known for their grand celebrations. 

What are the dates for Ganapati Visarjan 2025?

Day

Date

Ganesh Visarjan (on Ganesh Chaturthi)

14th Sept 2026

Ganesh Visarjan (one and half days)

15th Sept 2026

Ganesh Visarjan (three days)

17th Sept 2026

Ganesh Visarjan after (5 days) 

19th Sept 2026 

Ganesh Visarjan after (7 days)

21st Sept 2026 

Ananta Chaturdashi is the last day

25th Sept 2026

Complete Shri Ganesh Chaturthi puja

Sanatan Sanstha has published the entire Ganesh Puja ritual along with mantras for those of you who wish to celebrate Shri Ganesh Chaturthi at home but are unable to procure the services of a learned purohit (Priest). You will find the list of all the things you need, mantras in Devanagari and English, step-by-step guidance and more…

Click here

Sanatan Sanstha has published the entire Ganesh Puja ritual along with mantras for those of you who wish to celebrate Shri Ganesh Chaturthi at home but are unable to procure the services of a learned purohit (Priest). You will find the list of all the things you need, mantras in Devanagari and English, step-by-step guidance and more…

Click here

How to worship and appease Shri Ganesh ji during Ganesh Chaturthi?

red hibiscus flower

Offer red flowers, raktachandan

Use red clothes, flowers, and raktachandan (red sandalwood) in the puja. Shri Ganesh ji is described as red-complexioned, and this colour naturally attracts His subtle particles (pavitraks) from the atmosphere to the murti, helping awaken its presence.

bunch of durva grass blades

Offer durva

Offer tender blades of durva, with blades in odd numbers like 3, 5, 7, etc. to Shri Ganesh ji. The durva can be bunched in groups of 21. Durva attracts His Divine Principle and holds special significance. If it is soaked in water, durva stays fresh and helps retain Divine vibrations in the murti longer.

An image of 8 fried modaks,

Offer modak

Offer either steamed or fried modaks to Shri Ganesh ji as Naivedya. The modak attracts & activates Shri Ganesh principle. It also emits Anand (Bliss) & Chaitanya (Divine consciousness)

image of kheer

Kheer

On the day after Shri Ganesh Chaturthi, that is, on Rishipanchami, Shri Ganesh ji’s vahana mooshik, is offered Naivedya of kheer prepared from milk and rice.

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Uttarpuja (Uttaravahan) of Shri Ganesh murti

Just as we welcome Shri Ganesh ji to our home, we also see Him off with a ritual called Uttarpooja. The step by step ritual with mantras is given here.

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Murti

Eco-friendly Ganesh murti

Clay, being natural and sattvik, can both absorb and radiate Divine vibrations. It is also gentle on the environment. A clay Ganesh murti therefore benefits both the devotee and nature.

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image of a white coloured clay murti of Shri Ganesh prepared by Sanatan's sadhaks

Sanatan designed Ganesh murti

Sanatan’s seekers designed a sattvik Ganesh murti under the guidance of Sachchidananda Parabrahman Gurudev. This murti is capable of absorbing and emitting Ganesh tattva to a higher degree.

Read more >>
Murti

Eco-friendly Ganesh murti

Clay, being natural and sattvik, can both absorb and radiate Divine vibrations. It is also gentle on the environment. A clay Ganesh murti therefore benefits both the devotee and nature.

Read more >>

Sanatan designed Ganesh murti

Sanatan’s seekers designed a sattvik Ganesh murti under the guidance of Sachchidananda Parabrahman Gurudev. This murti is capable of absorbing and emitting Ganesh tattva to a higher degree.

Read more >>

How to bring Shri Ganesh murti home during Ganesh Chaturthi?

Photo of a male in Hindu attire carrying a covered Ganesh murti in his hands, accompanied by others
  • The head of the family, along with other members of the household, should go to bring the murti home from the sculptor.
  • The individual holding the murti should wear sattvik attire like kurta-dhoti or kurta-pyjama. He should also wear a topi (Bharatiya cap).
  • The murti must be covered with a clean silk, cotton or khadi cloth. The murti should face the individual holding it. The front of the murti emits sagun tattva (Materialised Principle), while the rear emits nirgun tattva (Non-materialised Principle). The person holding the murti gets the benefit of sagun tattva, while others get the benefit of nirgun tattva.
  • Bring the murti home while hailing Shri Ganesh ji’s Name and chanting His Name with bhav (Spiritual emotion).
  • Stand outside the entrance of the house. A married woman from the household should first pour milk followed by water on the feet of the individual holding the murti.
  • Before entering the house, turn the murti around so that it faces the front. Perform aukshan (Ritual of waving a lit lamp) of the murti.
  • Place some unbroken rice grains on the wooden seat where the murti is to be placed and then place the murti on these grains.
  • Draw rangoli patterns that attract the Shri Ganesh tattva around the wooden seat.

Listen to audios on Shri Ganesh ji

Shri Ganesh Chant

Shri Ganesh Arti

Shri Ganesh Sankatnashan Stotra

Shri Ganesh Atharvashirsha

Every Hindu festival, including Ganesh Chaturthi, offers a chance to receive Divine blessings and grow spiritually. In our satsangs, we share how to celebrate them in a sattvik way and benefit spiritually.

You’re invited to join our free Online Orientation Satsang

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Images depicting the benefits of Shri Ganesh worship

These images show certain elements related to the worship of Shri Ganesh ji and the processes that occur in the subtle dimension. They are drawn by Sanatan’s seekers who have an advanced sixth sense.

Shri Ganesh Chaturthi Videos

Some FAQs about the Shri Ganesh Chaturthi Vrat

The Puranas narrate a story that goes – Seeing Shri Ganesh mounted on a mouse, the Moon laughed. So Shri Ganesh cursed him, saying that no one shall look at you on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. Hence, it is said that one should not view the Moon on Ganesh Chaturthi.
Many people wonder why this is so. The spiritual reason behind it is that the Moon governs the mind – it is the driving force behind mental activity. On the other hand, Shri Ganesh is the embodiment of Om (ॐ). The sound ‘Om’ symbolizes the Supreme Brahman. Thus, worship of Ganesha is essentially worship of the Brahman. For such worship, the dissolution of the mind is necessary – in other words, the mind must become still. A devotee or seeker of Shri Ganesh aims for this very stillness of the mind.
In simple terms, “stilling the mind” means eliminating its restlessness. The Moon’s visible shape changes according to the lunar day (tithi), which shows its inherent fickleness. Just as the Moon is unstable, so too is the human mind unstable within the body. Seeing the Moon increases mental restlessness (even though it is by a fraction). Therefore, it is advised not to look at the Moon on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi.

According to the scriptures, if the sources of income (dravyakosh) and food preparation (paknishpatti) are separate, then each family member should install a Shri Ganesh murti independently. However, in some families, there is a strong tradition, either based on family customs (kulachar) or an age-old practice, of installing only one murti for the entire extended family. In such cases, it is observed that the murti is hosted at a different brother’s home each year.

Answer given by Sachchidananda Parabrahman (Dr) Jayant Athavale:
If there is a strong family tradition of installing only one Shri Ganesh murti as per kulachar (family custom) or ancestral practice, and one does not wish to break that tradition, then it is appropriate to install the murti at the home of the brother who has the deepest devotion toward Shri Ganesh ji.

In some places, it is observed that if someone has built a new house or if a Ganesh murti is not traditionally installed in a certain home, someone may place a Shri Ganesh murti outside their closed door on the night before Ganesh Chaturthi without their knowledge. In such a situation if one feels inclined to worship that Ganesh murti, they may do so. Otherwise, the murti should be respectfully immersed (visarjan) in flowing water.

In some places, the Ganesh murti is installed for 21 days – well into Pitru Paksha (the fortnight of the departed ancestors).

The scriptures have designated specific times for certain rituals, and it is important and necessary to perform those rituals during their assigned time. Therefore, Mahalaya Shraddha should indeed be performed during Pitru Paksha. Some other points to consider are shared here

A. If someone’s annual Shraddha (Sāmvatsarik Shraddha) falls on the day of Shri Ganesh Chaturthi, it should be performed on the same day. The food prepared for the Shraddha can be offered as Naivedya (offering) to Shri Ganesh ji.

B. Generally, the period for performing mahalaya shraddha is observed until the Sun remains in the Scorpio (Vrushchik) zodiac sign. There are different views regarding when exactly to perform mahalaya shraddha during Pitru Paksha. Presently, the common practice is to perform mahalaya shraddha on the specific tithi (lunar day) corresponding to the death date of the deceased person.

C. In households where Shri Ganesh ji is worshipped for 21 days, if the shraddha tithi falls during that period while the murti is still present, the mahalaya shraddha should still be performed on that tithi.

D. If, due to reasons such as Janana-shaucha or Marana-shaucha (ritual impurity due to birth or death in the family) or any other unavoidable circumstance, it is not possible to perform the shraddha on that specific tithi, then it should be done on Sarvapitri Amavasya (the last day of Pitru Paksha). Alternatively, it can also be performed as per convenience on days like Ashtami, Dwadashi, Amavasya of the Krishna Paksha, or on the day with Vyatipata Yoga.

E. On the day of Shraddha, other rituals such as Shri Ganesh Yag, Laghu Rudra, and similar ceremonies should not be performed.

Shri Ganesh Visarjan

More information to enhance your devotion

Information on how to worship Shri Ganesh ji, the associated religious rituals, their importance and benefits. Also, details about pilgrimage sites, Ashtavinayak darshan, vrat (vowed religious observances) dedicated to Shri Ganesh ji, and more!

Read more

Some products helpful to worship Shri Ganesh

1. Shri Ganapati (informative book – detailed)

2. Shree Ganpati (booklet)

3. How to offer Arti (booklet)

4. Japa mala with 108 beads

5. Shree Ganpati (Laminated Photo) and locket

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