Ganesh Chaturthi 2024: Date, Time, Puja Rituals, and Significance of Ganeshotsav

Ganesh Chaturthi, one of the most important Hindu festivals, will be celebrated this year on Saturday, September 7. This festival, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi, marks the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha, the deity of wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune. The celebration lasts for ten days, culminating in Ganesh Visarjan on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, where devotees immerse Ganesha idols in water.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2024 Timings and Rituals
Madhyahna Ganesha Puja Muhurat: The most auspicious time to perform Ganesh Puja is during Madhyahna, which is the midday period in the Hindu division of the day. For 2024, the Madhyahna Ganesha Puja Muhurat falls between 11:04 AM and 01:35 PM, giving devotees a duration of 2 hours and 31 minutes to perform the rituals.

Avoiding Moon Sighting
A key ritual during Ganesh Chaturthi is to avoid seeing the moon on this day. Sighting the moon is believed to bring about Mithya Dosha, a false accusation or blame. According to Hindu legends, this curse is linked to Lord Krishna, who was falsely accused of theft after accidentally seeing the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi. To avoid this, devotees should refrain from looking at the moon from 09:30 AM to 08:46 PM on September 7, 2024. For those who mistakenly see the moon, chanting the mantra "Simhah Prasenamavadhitsimho Jambavata Hatah, Sukumaraka Marodistava Hyesha Syamantakah" is recommended to nullify the curse.

Ganesh Chaturthi Significance and Traditions
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great enthusiasm across India. Lord Ganesha is worshipped as the remover of obstacles and the god who is invoked before any other deity in Hindu rituals.

• Ganapati Sthapana and Puja: The festival begins with Ganapati Sthapana, where beautifully crafted idols of Lord Ganesha are installed in homes and public places. This is followed by the Ganapati Puja, performed during the Madhyahna period. The rituals include the Shodashopachara Puja, a detailed 16-step worship that involves offering flowers, sweets, and prayers to the deity.
• Visarjan: The festival concludes with Ganesh Visarjan, where the idols are taken in a grand procession and immersed in a water body. This act symbolises the cycle of creation and dissolution, reminding devotees of the impermanence of life.

• Idol Installation (Pranapratishtha): The festival starts with the installation of the Ganesha idol, accompanied by rituals to invite the deity into the home.
• Daily Worship (Puja): Devotees perform daily puja, offering flowers, fruits, and modaks to the deity, and chanting mantras to seek blessings.
• Offerings (Naivedya): Modak, a sweet dumpling, is the most popular offering, symbolising the sweetness of life.
• Chanting and Mantras: Recitation of Ganesha mantras and hymns purifies the surroundings and invokes divine blessings.
• Immersion (Visarjan): The idol is immersed in water on the last day, symbolising the cycle of life and the dissolution of obstacles.