Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 will be celebrated across India with great fervor on September 19. The festival marks the birth anniversary of the beloved Hindu god, Lord Ganesha. Also known as Vinayak Chaturdashi, it is one of the most auspicious Hindu festivals observed in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, and other states.
This article provides all the key details regarding Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 – the date, Shubh Muhurat, Puja rituals, celebrations, and the significance of this festival for devotees of Lord Ganesha.
When is Ganesh Chaturthi 2023?
According to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the fourth day of the waxing moon period (Shukla Chaturthi) in the month of Bhadrapada. This usually corresponds to the months of August or September per the Gregorian calendar.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 will be celebrated on Tuesday, September 19.
The festivities typically last for 10 days, concluding with Ganpati Visarjan on September 28, 2023.
Puja Shubh Muhurat of Ganesh Chaturthi 2023
- Ganesh Chaturthi Tithi Begins – September 18, 2023 at 12:39 pm
- Ganesh Chaturthi Tithi Ends – September 19, 2023 at 1:43 pm
- Madhyahna Ganesha Puja Muhurat – 11:01 am to 1:28 pm on September 19
- Duration – 2 hours 27 mins
- Moon Sightings should be avoided on September 18 from 9:45 am to 8:44 pm
So the ideal time for Ganesh puja on Ganesh Chaturthi is during the morning of September 19 as per the Shubh Muhurat.
How is Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrated?
Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 is celebrated across India, especially in Maharashtra, with tremendous zeal and fervor. Some key ways the festival is observed are:
- Houses and public pandals are decorated with flowers, lights, etc. to mark Lord Ganesha’s arrival
- Clay idols of Ganesha are installed and worshipped with great devotion
- The 10-day celebration involves chanting Vedic hymns, observing fasts, preparing feasts, and offering Modaks to Lord Ganesha
- Cultural activities like dances, plays, and music performances are organized
- On the last day, the idol is taken out in public processions for immersion in water bodies
- People wish each other saying “Ganpati Bappa Morya” seeking blessings
Step-by-Step Puja Vidhi for Ganesh Chaturthi 2023
The Ganesh Chaturthi puja involves following structured rituals to worship Lord Ganesha:
- Devotees wake up early, bathe, and wear fresh clothes before beginning the puja
- A wooden platform is prepared, covered in red or yellow cloth. The idol of Lord Ganesha is reverently placed here.
- The idol is bathed with gangajal and adorned with kumkum, flowers, and garlands as offerings.
- Fruits, sweets, and Modaks are offered to please Ganesha along with chanting mantras like “Om Gan Ganpataye Namah“.
- Sacred texts like the Ganesh Stotram are recited and aarti are performed with lamps lit and conch played.
- Bhajans and kirtans are sung together during the 10-day festival.
- For those unable to install idols at home, visiting temples and making offerings is considered auspicious.
By carrying out these rituals with devotion, Lord Ganesha’s blessings are invoked. The Puja Vidhi is designed to revere him through meaningful ceremonies.
Key Rituals Performed During the 10 Days of Ganesh Chaturthi 2023
The 10-day Ganesh Utsav celebration involves 16 elaborate rituals being performed to worship Lord Ganesha. The main rituals can be broadly classified into 4 ceremonies:
Ganesh Sthapana and Prana Pratishtha
This first ritual sanctifies the idol before installation. The idol is reverently invited amidst mantra chanting. Life is evoked into the statue which will now be worshipped as the living embodiment of Lord Ganesha.
Shodashopachara Ganapati Puja
In this extensive 16-step ritual, Lord Ganesha is given a ceremonial bath with Panchamrit and Ganga Jal. He is then offered Vastra, flowers, Akshata, garlands, sindoor, and Chandan. This is followed by presenting Naivedya of Modaks and fruits, and the devotional worship with lamps and chanting.
Uttarpuja
The penultimate ritual is Uttara puja or farewell worship. With joy and fervor, devotees sing, dance, and celebrate Ganesha before the Visarjan. The sequence involves niranjan aarti, Pushpanjali, and Pradakshina rituals.
Ganesh Visarjan
On the final day, the idol is carried to a water body in a public procession. Amid cries of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’, the idol is immersed, bidding farewell to the Lord until next year.
Thus, the 10-day Ganesh Utsav is marked by elaborate rituals celebrating the Lord with reverence, devotion, and community participation. The ceremonies underline the divine nature of Ganesha and the spirit of togetherness.
Significance of Ganesh Chaturthi 2023
There are a few key reasons why Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 holds special importance in Hinduism:
- It marks the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. He is the deity worshipped first before any Hindu ritual or celebration.
- Ganesha is the patron of arts, wisdom, and good fortune. He removes all obstacles and brings prosperity to devotee’s lives.
- The festival underlines the importance of family ties and community celebrations.
- It reminds devotees to inculcate values like perseverance, wisdom, and liveliness as embodied by Lord Ganesha.
- The public celebrations reinforce Hindu culture and traditions even today.