Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 : Significance, Date, and Time
On August 10, 2025The Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity of Hinduism. Ganesha is the remover of obstacles, and is the first deity whom Hindus worship during religious and other auspicious occasions. The festival is on the fourth day of the Bhadrapada month (August – September). Ganesha is also the god of knowledge and wisdom. During the 10-day festival, Hindus lay out the red carpet for their beloved deity and honor him with various rituals. They welcome him into their homes and, at the end of the festival, give him a grand and ceremonial send-off. The festival ends on the day of Ananta Chaturdashi.
Why do People Celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi?
Ganesh Chaturthi is also called Vinayaka Chaturthi. Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. He has the power to remove obstacles. He is also the patron of arts and sciences, and the god of auspicious beginnings, Ganesha is very popular. During the festival, devotees seek his blessings for prosperity and abundance.
As per the Scriptures, the Bhakti movement spread far and wide from the 7th to the 17th century. During this time, the Ganapatya sect, comprising devotees of Ganesha, became popular. Sri Morya Gosavi (13th or 17th century), who disseminated his teachings in the northern regions, is an important figure.
Later, when the Maratha Empire was in power, the Maratha chieftain Chhatrapati Shivaji also made efforts to promote Ganesha worship, as Ganesha was the Kula Devta (family deity) of the Peshwas. In fact, Ganesh Chaturthi was first celebrated after the formation of the Maratha empire by Shivaji in the 16th century.
Centuries later, during British rule, the festival became a symbol of the nationalist movement. In 1892, the Indian nationalist leader, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, also called Lokmanya Tilak, made a concerted effort to unite all Hindus in India, using the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Tilak played a key role in promoting Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations and made it a grand and unifying event on a huge scale. Tilak brought the Ganesha out from homes and into the streets of Pune. The festival instilled patriotic feelings among the people who assembled in large numbers to celebrate the festival. Though the British had banned large public gatherings, they could only watch helplessly as the people participated in the celebrations with great fervor.
In North India, the festival takes place over 10 days. But in southern states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, people celebrate it for one day only. However, the rituals are similar to those in northern states.
On Day 1 of the festival, devotees place Ganesha idols on raised platforms (mandaps) in small shrines in homes or in grandly decorated public shrines (pandals). Months before the festival, craftsmen's workshops appear all over the city to make and sell Ganesha idols in all sizes.
Ganesh Chaturthi Rituals
In Hindu tradition, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with various rituals, as prescribed by the scriptures.
Pranapratishtha: In this ritual, the priest invokes Ganesha’s presence in the idol. Prana or life is ceremoniously infused into the idol, symbolizing his divine presence.
Shodashopachara: This is a special Pooja that features 16 rituals. Each ritual pays homage to Lord Ganesha.
Visarjan: ‘Visarjan’ means ‘immersion.’ The festival ends with devotees bidding farewell to Ganesha by immersing his idols in waterbodies. The ritual represents his return to Mount Kailash, his parental abode. The idols of Ganesha are taken in grand processions to the waterbodies, accompanied by singing and dancing devotees fervently shouting ‘Ganapati Bappa Moreya.’
Family Rituals: People also celebrate the festival at home. They perform Poojas, chant Ganesh Mantras, and sing Bhajans.
Artistic Expression: In the southern regions, the festival is an outlet for artistic expression, with Ganesh idols being crafted using fruits, banana leaves, and other natural materials.
Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi at Home
· The day before Ganesh Chaturthi, people clean their home and the Pooja room. They buy a readymade idol of Ganesha from a shop or create it themselves using clay or turmeric.
· Then they prepare a sacred space for the deity by setting up a raised platform on the Pooja altar. A beautiful rangoli is drawn in front of the altar, and a lovely cloth is spread on the pedestal.
· The next step is to place the idol of Ganesha on the altar, and decorate it with Yerukkam Poo (Calotropis) garlands, flowers, and Arugampul. The last is very dear to Ganesha.
· The offerings or Neivedya include modaks or Kolukattai (sweet dumplings), and fruits.
· Devotees then worship Ganesha and perform Arti.
· The Prasad or food prepared for the Pooja is finally shared with those present.
· The Arti ritual is performed again before Ganesh Visarjan.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 Date and timing
Ganesh Chaturthi is on Wednesday, 27th August.
Chaturthi Tithi Timings:
· Begins: 26th August 2025 at 2:22 PM
· Ends: 27th August 2025 at 3:53 PM
