Ganesh Chaturthi 2027

What is Ganesh Chaturthi?

Ganesh Chaturthi, also called Vinayaka Chaturthi, celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha — the elephant-headed god of wisdom and new beginnings, and the remover of obstacles. It falls on the Chaturthi (fourth day) of the bright half of the lunar month of Bhadrapada, usually in August or September. Families and communities install Ganesha idols at home and in public pandals, worship him for one and a half to eleven days, and then bid him farewell with visarjan (immersion).

The festival is celebrated most grandly in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, and by Hindu communities all over the world.

What is the story of Lord Ganesha's birth?

The best-known story, from the Shiva Purana, tells that Goddess Parvati created a boy from sandalwood paste and asked him to guard her door while she bathed. When Lord Shiva returned and the boy refused to let him in, Shiva, not knowing who he was, cut off his head in anger. To console Parvati, Shiva sent his followers to bring back the head of the first creature they found, and they returned with an elephant's head. Shiva restored the boy to life, named him Ganapati — leader of his ganas — and blessed him to be worshipped first before any other god.

That is why Ganesha is invoked at the start of every puja, wedding, new business or journey.

How did Ganesh Chaturthi become a public festival?

Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated in homes and temples for centuries, and the Maratha rulers of Pune supported it. In 1893, the freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak promoted large public celebrations — sarvajanik Ganeshotsav — as a way to bring people together across caste and class during British rule. The tradition of community mandals with grand idols, music and cultural programmes grew from there and is now part of city life across India.

How is Ganesh Chaturthi celebrated?

Bringing Ganesha home

In the days before the festival, families choose an idol and decorate a space for it with flowers, lights and a small canopy. On Chaturthi, the idol is brought home with chants of "Ganpati Bappa Morya!".

Prana Pratishtha and daily puja

The installation puja — prana pratishtha — invites the deity's presence into the idol, ideally during the madhyahna (midday) period, since Ganesha is believed to have been born at midday. This is followed by the shodashopachara puja (sixteen offerings), and every day the family performs aarti in the morning and evening.

Offerings

Modak — steamed or fried dumplings filled with coconut and jaggery — is Ganesha's favourite sweet, and 21 modaks are traditionally offered. Durva grass, red flowers such as hibiscus, and laddoos are also offered.

Visarjan

Depending on family tradition, Ganesha stays for one and a half, three, five, seven or ten days. The largest immersions take place on Anant Chaturdashi, when processions with drums, music and dancing carry the idols to the sea, a lake or an artificial tank, with the cry "Ganpati Bappa Morya, pudhchya varshi lavkar ya" — "come back soon next year".

What is Gowri Habba?

In Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Ganesh Chaturthi is preceded by Gowri Habba (Hartalika Teej in North India), the worship of Goddess Gowri — Parvati — on the third day of Bhadrapada. Married women keep a fast and pray for the well-being of their families, and many receive bagina, a gift of turmeric, kumkum, bangles and sweets. Ganesha is welcomed the next day as Gowri's son coming to take his mother home.

Why should you not look at the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi?

According to a popular legend, the Moon laughed at Ganesha after he fell from his mount, and Ganesha cursed him. Seeing the moon on the night of Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi is therefore believed to bring false accusations (mithya dosha). Many families avoid looking at the moon that night, and recite the story of the Syamantaka jewel if they see it by mistake.

How to celebrate an eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi

• Choose idols made of natural clay (shadu mati) instead of plaster of Paris, and natural colours instead of chemical paints.
• Immerse small idols at home in a bucket or tub and use the water and clay for plants.
• Use flowers, leaves and cloth for decoration rather than thermocol and plastic.
• Use the artificial immersion tanks provided by city corporations to protect lakes.

Ganesh Chaturthi in cities and abroad

Mumbai and Pune are famous for their giant mandals, and Hyderabad's Khairatabad Ganesh is known for its towering idol. In Bengaluru, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated alongside Gowri Habba, the worship of Goddess Gowri the day before. Abroad, Indian community associations and temples hold public celebrations and visarjan by arrangement with local authorities. Use MyPujaWorld's events map to find celebrations near you.

What does Ganesh Chaturthi teach?

Ganesha's large head is said to stand for wisdom, his large ears for listening well, and his small mouth for speaking less. Welcoming him into the home is a reminder to begin every undertaking with humility and clear thinking — and his farewell at visarjan is a reminder that everything with a form must eventually return to its source.