Ganesh Chaturthi 2024:Puja Vidhi, How to Celebrate, Story and Sthapana

Ganesh Chaturthi 2024 will be observed on Saturday, 7th September 2024. It is a holiday across India. This day is one of the biggest celebrations in India.

Lord Ganesh is known to be the Lord of wisdom and intelligence, also known to be the remover of obstacles and the god of prosperity.

Ganesh Chaturthi always falls between August and September. The festival is for ten days. And on the last day, the deity is immersed in water bodies.

From Rich to poor, everyone celebrates it by following all the rituals and customs. It is believed that Ganesh blesses anyone who prays with a pure heart. He is also an example of obedience as he obeyed his mother, Goddess Parvati, risking his own life.

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Puja rituals of the auspicious day

First, an urn is brought in with water. Wherever the platform for worship is set, spread the seat and sit. Take the water in hand. Take kush and water in hand, then chant the mantra. Sprinkle water on the idol and the things kept for worship. Do Aachman three times. Take water in hand and chant Om Keshavaya Namah: Om Naranaya Namah: Om Madhavaya Namah: Om Hrishikeshaya Namah. Saying like this, take water from your hand three times and touch it with your mouth, then wash your hands. After this, keep some unbroken rice at the place where Ganesha is to be worshipped. Place the idol of Ganesha on top of it.

After making Ganesha sit on his seat, first of all, take a resolution to worship Ganesh Chaturthi Vrat. For Ganesh Puja Sankalp, bring flowers, fruits, paan, betel nut, Akshat (unbreakable rice), silver coin or a few rupees, sweets, etc.

Place the Kalash on the right side of Ganesha. Wrap a coconut in a red cloth and keep it on the urn so that only the front part is visible. Keep mango Pallav, betel nut, and coins in the pot. Wrap a red cloth around the neck of the Kalash and light a diwali diya.

Invoke Lord Varun in the urn with Akshat and flowers in hand. Along with the mantra 'Om Tattvayami Brahmana Vandamanastdashaaste Yajmano Havibhi'. Ahedmano Varuneh Bodhyurushans Maan Ayu: Pramoshi Asmin Kalashe Varunam Sang Saparivara Sayudh Shaktikamavahayami, Om Bhur Bhuva: Swa:Bho Varun Ihagachchh Ihtishtha. Sthapayaami Poojayami ॥)' Say the mantra. In this way, after worshipping Kalash, first of all, worship Ganesha. Meditate on Ganesha with flowers and 'Gajananam Bhutaganadi Sevitam captcha jambu Falcharu bhakshanam'. Namami Vighneshwarpadpankajam, the destroyer of grief. Read the mantra. After these rites, do the aarti and distribute prasad.

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How to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi?

The Ganesh Chaturthi was first observed in Pune during the King Shivaji era. Now, It is celebrated nationwide. A musical procession is held on the way to the visarjan or immersion of the idol. The drums sound, and loud chants call out the importance.

Families get together to celebrate the day. They pray and make sweets together. On this day, the believers install Ganesh clay idols in their homes. It is believed that by placing Ganesha idols in houses, prosperity and luck will be at your door.

• Make eco-friendly Ganesh idols in your way. This helps to reduce pollution.
• Make Ganesh with play dough. This is specifically for children. It can make your Ganesh Utsav memorable and fun.
• Put rangoli and decorate your house.
• Paper decos are also encouraged since this can replace plastics and reduce environmental degradation.
• Also, decorate the idol with turmeric, sandals, and clothes.
• People purchase puja items and accessories before the ten days.

It is also a time for family reunions. Children who live far away come back to their parents to celebrate the day. People make sweets together, and various games and martial art competitions are held everywhere. Happiness and fun are other definitions for this beautiful occasion.

The ten days are celebrated with lots of preparation. People clean their houses before the idols are brought home. Different structures of Ganesh idols can be seen in the market. People also share sweets on the streets and distribute them in nearby areas. Hence, this festival also teaches the value of sharing.

Ganesh Chaturthi date

The Ganesh Chaturthi celebration falls between August and September. In 2024, the Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on September 7th Saturday.  The presence of the Chaturthi tithi decides the date of the Vinayak Chaturthi. It's the festival held during the "Bhadrapada madhyahan purvabhada".

If Chaturthi tithi begins at night on the previous day and will be over by morning on the next day, it's called vinayak chaturthi. Some Celebrate it for one and a half days but others for eleven days. It's determined by the Hindu calendar and not by the Gregorian calendar. The Bhadrapada falls on a new moon between August and September every year. Bhadrapada Is the sixth month of the Hindu calendar. The lunar year is shorter than the solar year by eleven days. This is why the date of the Ganeshotsav varies.

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The story behind the celebration of Vinayak Chaturthi

Ganesh is the son of Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati. She created him from clay or earth from her own body and gave it life. One day, Parvati asked Ganesh not to let anyone in the home since she was bathing.

When lord Shiva came, Ganesh didn't let him in. Lord Shiva was infuriated as he was denied entry from his own house. They both fought and in that, Ganesh got beheaded. Shiva knew Parvati would be mad at him. So Shiva asked his ganas to get the head of the first creature they saw. The first animal they saw was an elephant, and they brought Ganapati to life by fixing his head with the elephant. This is why Ganesh is called the elephant-headed god.

Sthapana and more about Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Visarjan is celebrated in Bhadrapada month on the fourteenth day of Shukla Paksha.On the seventh day, devotees perform saptapadi or seven steps. And the eighth day is known as Ashtami. On the 9th day, the Navalatrika pooja is held. Finally, on the tenth day, it is. Vijayadashami. It is the end of the festival.

Ganesh Chaturthi is a public holiday in most of the Indian states. Everyone celebrates it with great enthusiasm, from children and youth to older people. Irrespective of social status, rich or poor people share sweets and project fraternity in our society during this festival.

The decoration is the most significant part of Ganesh Chaturthi. Decorating the platforms where Ganesha idols are kept is very important. It is usually decorated with flowers and sweets like ladoo and modak, believed to be Lord Ganesha's favourite food. Also, houses are lit with lamps and incense sticks to spread the light and purity in their home. Prayers, chants, and songs are sung around during the celebration. Chants like 'Ganapati Bappa morya' are famous all over. The Ganesh puja muhurat 2024 is between 11.03 am to 1.34 pm.

Devotees believe praying to him frees them from their sins and helps them achieve their goals and desires. That is why Hindu believers give the Ganesh Chaturthi and offering to the lord Ganesha importance.

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Overall, people around India celebrate the Ganesh Chaturthi with enthusiasm and devotion. It is a festival of love, colours, jolly, and brotherhood. Even people from abroad come to visit India around that time just to see the mesmerising festival of the Hindu religion.