TodayTools

Donate

About Ganesh Chaturthi

00 days

About Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of wisdom and new beginnings, who is worshipped first before any good work. It falls on the fourth day of the bright half of Bhadrapada, in August or September.

Families bring home a clay idol of Ganesha, install it with prayers and offer modaks, durva grass and red flowers. The festival lasts from one and a half to ten days and ends with visarjan, when the idol is carried in a procession and immersed in water, with the call "Ganpati Bappa Morya, pudhchya varshi lavkar ya" (come back soon next year).

Maharashtra and Goa celebrate it as Ganeshotsav, with large public pandals, dhol-tasha bands and evening aartis. In Karnataka it follows Gowri Habba, in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana it is Vinayaka Chavithi, and in Tamil Nadu Vinayagar Chaturthi, with kozhukattai and small clay Pillaiyar idols.

It is also celebrated in Nepal and Mauritius and by Indian families in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, the Gulf, Singapore and Malaysia. Many families now choose clay or eco-friendly idols and immerse them at home.

  • Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi
  • Up to ten days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi
  • Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu
  • Modak, his favourite sweet

Where it began

Legend says the goddess Parvati shaped a boy from sandalwood paste and set him to guard her door. When Shiva was stopped from entering, he cut off the boy's head in anger. To comfort Parvati, Shiva gave the boy the head of an elephant and made him the first god to be worshipped before any other. Ganesh Chaturthi marks this birth.

Ganesha is prayed to at the start of every journey, wedding, new business and school year. His big ears, small eyes and the mouse he rides each carry a gentle lesson about listening, focus and humility.

Home worship of Ganesha in the month of Bhadrapada is old. The Maratha rulers of Pune encouraged it, and in 1893 the freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak helped turn it into a public festival, bringing people together in shared pandals.

The yearly Ganesh Chaturthi procession of Manakula Vinayagar templePuducherry

How it grew over time

  1. Ancient times

    Ganesha is worshipped as the lord of beginnings, and the Puranas tell the stories of his birth.

  2. 1600s and 1700s

    The Maratha court in Pune keeps Ganesha as a family deity and celebrates the festival with music and feasts.

  3. 1893

    Lokmanya Tilak promotes sarvajanik, or public, Ganeshotsav in Pune, and pandals with talks and songs spread across Maharashtra.

  4. 1900s

    Mumbai's neighbourhood pandals grow famous, and the festival spreads to Goa, Karnataka, Telangana and beyond.

  5. Today

    Eco-friendly clay idols and immersion in tanks are becoming popular, alongside the grand processions.

How it is celebrated in different places

  • Mumbai and Pune

    Giant idols draw huge crowds, dhol-tasha groups drum for hours, and the final immersion procession lasts through the night.

  • Goa

    Chavath is a family festival, with the idol kept at home under a canopy of fresh fruits and vegetables called matoli.

  • Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

    Vinayaka Chavithi brings tall idols to Hyderabad, and the Khairatabad Ganesh is one of the most visited.

  • Tamil Nadu and Karnataka

    Vinayagar Chaturthi homes offer kozhukattai or modaka, and small clay idols are bought fresh in the morning.

  • Mauritius, UK and US

    Indian families hold temple pujas and take idols to the sea or to special tanks, keeping the joy of the visarjan.

Ganesh Chaturthi moments

A home Ganesha decorated with fresh garlands
Ganesha behind a curtain of flower garlands
The end of the Ganesh Chaturthi procession through the streetsParis, France
Idols on the shore after the immersionPrabhadevi beach, Mumbai

Ganesh Chaturthi today

Families choose an idol, decorate a small altar and welcome Ganesha with prayers, flowers and modaks. He may stay one and a half days, five, seven or ten days. On the last day people sing "Ganpati Bappa Morya" and ask him to come back soon next year as they take him to the water.

How people celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi

  • Bringing home a clay Ganesha idol
  • Modaks, kozhukattai and laddoos as offerings
  • Durva grass and red hibiscus for the puja
  • Morning and evening aarti with the family
  • Public pandals and dhol-tasha in Maharashtra
  • Visarjan, the immersion of the idol
  • Eco-friendly clay idols immersed at home

How to wish well

  • Send wishes on the morning of Chaturthi, when the idol is installed. Many people greet again on visarjan day.
  • "Ganpati Bappa Morya" is a happy, everyday greeting that suits friends and family alike.
  • Use the local name: Vinayaka Chavithi for Telugu friends, Vinayagar Chaturthi for Tamil friends, Gowri Ganesha for Kannada families.
  • For colleagues and customers, a short wish for good beginnings and success fits Lord Ganesha well.
  • Light jokes about modaks are fine; keep jokes away from Lord Ganesha himself.

Questions about Ganesh Chaturthi

When is Ganesh Chaturthi 2026?

Ganesh Chaturthi is on 14 September 2026. Ganeshotsav in Maharashtra runs for ten days, ending on Anant Chaturdashi.

When is Ganesh Chaturthi 2027?

Ganesh Chaturthi in 2027 is expected on 4 September.

What do you say on Ganesh Chaturthi?

Say "Happy Ganesh Chaturthi" or "Ganpati Bappa Morya". In Marathi, "Ganesh Chaturthichya hardik shubhechha"; in Telugu, "Vinayaka Chavithi Shubhakankshalu"; in Tamil, "Iniya Vinayagar Chaturthi Nalvazhthukal".

What does Ganpati Bappa Morya mean?

It means "Hail Lord Ganesha, our father". Morya is linked to the saint Morya Gosavi of Chinchwad, a great devotee of Ganesha.

How many days is Ganesh Chaturthi celebrated?

Families keep the idol for one and a half, three, five, seven or ten days. The public festival in Maharashtra lasts ten days.

Why is the modak offered to Lord Ganesha?

The modak is said to be Lord Ganesha's favourite sweet. Its sweet filling stands for the sweetness of wisdom and joy.

Is Vinayaka Chaturthi the same as Ganesh Chaturthi?

Yes. It is the same festival, called Vinayaka Chavithi in Telugu, Vinayagar Chaturthi in Tamil and Gowri Ganesha in Karnataka.

Keep exploring

Related

Coming up next

    All festival wishes

    Donate