Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 will be observed on Monday, September 14. The festival commemorates the birth of Lord Ganesha and is celebrated across India with prayers, cultural festivities and the installation of Ganesha idols.
Devotees bring idols of Lord Ganesha to their homes and community pandals, where they offer flowers, durva, sweets and other traditional offerings. The celebrations conclude with Ganesh Visarjan, when the idol is ceremonially immersed in water.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 Puja Muhurat
The Madhyahna period is traditionally regarded as the most suitable time for performing Ganapati Puja and Sthapana. For New Delhi, the Ganapati Sthapana muhurat on September 14 will be from 11:02 am to 1:31 pm. For Mumbai, devotees can perform Ganapati Sthapana between 11:20 am and 1:48 pm.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 Tithi
Chaturthi Tithi Begins: 7:06 am on September 14
Chaturthi Tithi Ends: 7:44 am on September 15
Ganapati Sthapana Vidhi
Devotees can follow these traditional steps while installing the Ganesha idol:
- Wake up early, take a bath and wear clean clothes.
- Clean the area where the puja will be performed.
- Place a wooden chowki facing north or east and cover it with a red or yellow cloth.
- Draw a swastika on the platform and place unbroken rice over it.
- Hold water, grains and a flower in the right hand and take the sankalp.
- During the prescribed muhurat, place the Ganesha idol on the rice and sprinkle Gangajal.
- Chant the mantra “Om Gam Ganpataye Namah.”
- Keep a water-filled kalash with a coin, betel nut, mango leaves and coconut near the idol.
- Apply tilak and offer durva, flowers, rice and red hibiscus.
- Light a diya and incense sticks before offering modaks, fruits and dry fruits.
- Complete the puja with Ganesh Aarti along with family members.
Ganesh Visarjan 2026 Dates
Ganesh Visarjan is the ceremonial immersion of Lord Ganesha’s idol and signifies the conclusion of the period of worship. While many devotees perform the immersion on Anant Chaturdashi, families may follow different traditions based on how many days they keep Ganpati at home.
The major Ganesh Visarjan 2026 dates are:
- 1.5-day Visarjan: September 15
- 3rd-day Visarjan: September 16
- 5th-day Visarjan: September 18
- 7th-day Visarjan: September 20
- Anant Chaturdashi Visarjan: September 25
The chosen immersion day depends on regional customs and family traditions.
When Is Anant Chaturdashi 2026?
Anant Chaturdashi 2026 will be observed on Friday, September 25. The day holds special significance as it traditionally marks the final and most prominent day for Ganesh Visarjan.
The Chaturdashi Tithi will begin at 11:18 pm on September 24 and end at 11:06 pm on September 25. Before the immersion, devotees generally perform puja and aarti before taking the idol in a procession to the immersion site. The ritual represents bidding farewell to Lord Ganesha while seeking his blessings and welcoming his return in the future.
