India celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi every year with great pomp. Also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Ganesh Utsav, this auspicious Hindu holiday marks and celebrates Lord Ganesha’s birth and is observed for ten consecutive days by Ganesha devotees. Ganesh Visarjan marks the final day of celebrations, on which devotees immerse their idols in water.
This tradition takes place all across India, with Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad being major hubs for celebration. Make sure that you know its history and significance, as well as how you should celebrate it if this festival falls upon you this year.
Ganesh Chaturthi in 2023
Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 begins on September 19 and lasts through September 28. Puja muhurat begins at 11 a.m. on September 19. Drik Panchang indicates that Chaturthi Tithi begins on September 18 at 12:39 p.m. and concludes on September 19 at 1:43 p.m.
What is the history behind Ganesh Chaturthi?
Ganesh Chaturthi (or Ganeshotsav in India) is an annual Hindu festival celebrated around the world by Indians worldwide.
First celebrated publicly in Pune by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1893, Ganeshotsav was created as an effort to bring people together. The British forces were horrified at seeing so many people celebrating together so forcefully.
Lokmanya Tilak, an Indian freedom fighter, championed Ganesh Chaturthi as part of his efforts to bypass British colonial government laws prohibiting Hindu assemblies. Soon thereafter, it became a key popular movement during India’s independence struggle.
What is Ganesh Chaturthi all about?
Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival that commemorates Ganesha as both the god of new beginnings and the remover of obstacles. This holiday brings people from various backgrounds together for a festive celebration, cultivating unity and solidarity while transcending economic and social differences.
Lord Ganesha, revered throughout India but especially Maharashtra and Karnataka, is often honoured during Ganesh Chaturthi festivities; other countries celebrate it too, such as Fiji, Mauritius, or South Africa.
Why Does Ganesh Chaturthi Prohibit Moon Sighting?
Ganesh Chaturthi has many traditions and restrictions surrounding it; one such restriction is prohibiting moon sighting during Ganesh Chaturthi. Seeing the moon during Ganesh Chaturthi can cause Mithya Dosham, or Mithya Kalank, in which false accusations will be made that someone stole something.
Lord Ganesha cursed God Chandra, so anyone seeing it during Shukla Chaturthi of Bhadrapada Month would experience this Mithya Dosham, be negatively affected by it, and be permanently stained with Mithya Dosham.
According to ancient legend, Lord Krishna had been wrongly accused of stealing a jewel called Syamantaka. After witnessing Lord Krishna’s pain and distress, Sage Narada informed him he had Mithya dosha. On the advice of Sage Narada, he fasted during Ganesh Chaturthi in order to eliminate it.
Ganesh Chaturthi, a 10-day celebration of prayers, rituals, and cultural events that commemorates Lord Ganesha, is marked by various activities.
Devotees place clay statues of Lord Ganesha in public and private spaces and offer sweets, fruits, prayers, and the submersion of their idol into water to symbolise his return to heaven on the final day. This festival symbolises creation, destruction, and social bonds in an ever-cyclical fashion.
Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi in 2023
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated across India with great gusto, but most passionately in Maharashtra and Telangana. Devotees bring Ganpati Bhappa idols into their homes for one and a half to seven days to be immersed with heavy hearts in water, hoping that Bappa returns the following year.
Visarjans feature large processions with loud chants such as ‘Ganapati Bappa Morya Purchya Varshi Laukariya.’ Ganesh Chaturthi 2022 was also celebrated with full happiness.
Devotees observe a similar fast during Ganesh Chaturthi; some only observe it for one or two days at most, while others keep up the practice for all ten.
Ganesh Chaturthi In 5 Major Cities
Mumbai
Ganesha is Maharashtra’s patron deity, and this festival holds great significance. Mumbai alone commissions over 6,000 idols each year for this celebration of Ganesh’s divine power that takes place all across Maharashtra and Mumbai itself.
Lokmanya Tilak, an important freedom fighter, later took steps to support this festival. Sarvajanik Ganesh Pandals and homes across Gujarati-dominated regions celebrate by decorating with Ganesha idols from Lalbaugcha Raja, Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbaicha Raja, and KhetwadiGanraj pandals. Festivals often last between seven and ten days.
On the first day, an idol is placed before a throne-like podium to be worshipped. At nightfall comes ‘Ganesh Visarjan’ when idols are submerged into water or sea for immersion. Chowpatty Beach offers one such immersion ceremony, accompanied by an incredible procession that begins early each morning and concludes in an extravagant ritual around midnight.
Pune
Pune, in Maharashtra, hosts one of India’s premier Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations each year. Ganesh worship is said to have spread widely during Peshwas’ rule when Ganesha became their patron god, becoming one of their primary celebrations and events during this 10-day festival that occurs annually on October 8–13. Kasba Ganpati. Guruji Talim. Tambdi Jageshwari is among the other popular idols, while Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati also plays host during these 10 days.
Hyderabad
Hyderabad is an ideal place to experience Ganesh Chaturthi festivities. Starting on Vinayaka Chavithi day and culminating on Anantha Chaturdashi day with immersions of Ganesha idols, Hyderabad hosts over 75,000 Ganesh Pandals during these Ganapathi Navaratri celebrations. Khairatabad in Hyderabad is widely recognized for the presence of Ganesha idols.
Other popular places where these statues can be seen are Durgam Cheruvu (New Nagole), Khairatabad (Kamala Nagar Balapur), Chaitanyapuri, and the Old City. Khairatabad hosts one of the nation’s largest Ganesh statues, while Gowlipura Ganesh Pandal in Old City serves as one of the oldest and most beloved Ganesh utsav Samithis before being immersed into Hussain Sagar Lake for burial in the Old City area.
Goa
The Ganesh Festival holds a special place in their hearts. It provides an opportunity for fun, reunions with family and friends, and installing Ganesh idols from different groups and merchant associations in beautifully decorated pandals.
Mapusa stands out in this regard with two well-known temples Ganeshpuri and Khandola. Marcela celebrates it vigorously, as its community includes several Hindu temples as well as village artisans showing incredible creativity when making Ganesh idols from arecanut, bamboo, coconut, and cane cane. These temples attract large audiences of worshippers of different faiths who come out to worship in numbers during this festival.
Ganapatipule
Ganpatipule, located in Ratnagiri on Maharashtra’s Konkan Coast, has been visited by tourists for 400 years. Swayambhu Ganapati Temple at Ganpatipule Beach draws them in with its iconic Ganesha statue built onto white sand, or “pule ”, believed to have come into being through natural forces alone.
One of eight Ashta Ganapati Temples, also known as Paschim Dewata, its copper idol depicting a deity sitting atop a lion is kept within its sanctum, where a golden shaft of light illuminates it like clockwork.
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