Ganesh Chaturthi muhurat
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026
Monday, 14 September 2026
Ganpati Bappa arrives home on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi and leaves at Anant Chaturdashi visarjan. Below are the September 14 Sthapana muhurat, the ten-day puja routine, the samagri list, the main mantras, and the traditional caution about Moon-sighting on Chaturthi night.
Auspicious muhurat
Ganesh Sthapana: 11:03 AM to 1:34 PM. Auspicious midday period.
Check your city's muhurat →Days around this festival
Monday, 14 September 2026
Ganesh Chaturthi
Friday, 25 September 2026
Ananta Chaturdashi
Ganesh Sthapana: vidhi, samagri and mantras
Bhagwan Ganesh is believed to have appeared at midday on Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi, so Sthapana at Madhyahna Kaal carries special weight. Lokmanya Tilak turned this festival into a public celebration in 1893 as a rallying moment for the freedom movement in Maharashtra, and it has been a community festival ever since.
For ten days Bappa stays home as an honoured guest. Some families keep him for 1.5 days, some for 5, 7, or the full 10 days. Visarjan happens on Anant Chaturdashi (September 25, 2026) with the largest processions of the year, echoing "Ganpati Bappa Morya, pudhchya varshi lavkar ya" (come back soon next year).
Puja Samagri (materials): a clay Ganesh murti (shadu maati / eco-friendly clay is preferred over PoP), chowki, red or yellow cloth, akshat, roli, kumkum, turmeric, sandal, Gangajal, kalash, mango leaves, coconut, 21 durva (grass) tufts, red flowers (jaswand / hibiscus is favourite), 21 modaks, laddoos (boondi or til), jaggery, banana, paan-supari, cloves, cardamom, dhoop, incense, camphor, diya, ghee, cotton wicks, and a coin for dakshina.
Sthapana Vidhi (step-by-step): bathe and wear clean clothes. Purify the puja spot by sprinkling Gangajal. Spread a red cloth on the chowki, place a small heap of akshat, and install the murti on it. Set up the kalash. Invoke Ganesh with "Om Gam Ganapataye Namah", then perform the Shodashopachar (16-step) puja: aavahan, asan, padya, arghya, achaman, snan, vastra, yajnopavit, gandh, akshat, pushpa, dhoop, deep, naivedya, tambool, and dakshina. Offer all 21 durva together at his head. Offer modak as bhog. Perform aarti and distribute prasad.
Main mantras:
Beej mantra: Om Gam Ganapataye Namah (chant at least 108 times).
Vakratunda mantra: Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha. Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Karyeshu Sarvada.
Gayatri mantra: Om Ekadantaya Vidmahe Vakratundaya Dhimahi. Tanno Danti Prachodayat.
Perform aarti ("Sukhkarta Dukhharta") morning and evening on each of the ten days, offer fresh naivedya daily, and sing bhajans with the family before bidding Bappa farewell.
Sthapana and Visarjan timing
Ganesh Sthapana is performed in Madhyahna Kaal, the midday window when the Sun is at its zenith, which is when Ganesh is believed to have manifested.
For Delhi and nearby, the Sthapana muhurat on September 14, 2026 is 11:03 AM to 1:34 PM (Madhyahna Kaal). Check the exact window for your city on the muhurat page, since it depends on local sunrise and sunset.
Moon-sighting caution: tradition holds that seeing the Moon on Ganesh Chaturthi brings "mithya kalank" (a false accusation), tied to the story of Krishna being wrongly blamed for stealing the Syamantak jewel. If you happen to sight it by mistake, reciting the verse "Simha prasenam avadhit..." is prescribed to nullify the dosha.
Visarjan: the traditional visarjan procession is on Anant Chaturdashi (September 25, 2026). Families doing home visarjan can immerse Bappa in a large vessel or bucket and use the clay in a plant pot or garden, the most eco-friendly path.
Timing abroad, by time zone
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 in Australia: Sthapana and Visarjan Times
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 falls on September 14, a Monday. How to time the sthapana and visarjan correctly for an Australian city like Sydney or Melbourne.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 in Canada: Sthapana and Visarjan Times
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 falls on September 14, a Monday. How to time the sthapana and visarjan correctly for a Canadian city like Toronto or Vancouver.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 in the UK: Sthapana and Visarjan Times
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 falls on September 14, a Monday. How to time the sthapana and visarjan correctly for your UK city.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 in the USA: Sthapana and Visarjan Times
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 falls on September 14, a Monday. Here is how to time the sthapana and visarjan correctly for your US city.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
When is Ganesh Chaturthi 2026? +
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 falls on September 14 (Monday). It is celebrated on the Shukla Chaturthi tithi of the Bhadrapada month.
What is the Ganesh Sthapana muhurat? +
In Delhi, the Sthapana muhurat is 11:03 AM to 1:34 PM (Madhyahna Kaal), regarded as the manifestation moment of Ganesh. Check the exact local window for your city on the muhurat page.
When is Ganpati Visarjan? +
The main community and household visarjan is on Anant Chaturdashi, September 25, 2026 (Friday). Smaller visarjans are also done on the 1.5th, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th days according to family tradition.
What is Ganesh's favourite bhog? +
Modak is Bappa's favourite, especially ukadiche modak (rice-flour outer shell with coconut-jaggery filling, steamed). Boondi laddoo, til laddoo, and jaggery are also offered. Offering 21 modaks on the day of Sthapana is considered particularly auspicious.
Why is durva grass offered, and how much? +
Durva grass is dear to Ganesh. Legend says after he swallowed the demon Analasur, his stomach burned; sages soothed it with 21 blades of durva. That is why 21 durva blades, bundled together, are placed at his head.
Is a PoP (Plaster of Paris) idol okay? +
No, PoP does not dissolve in water and pollutes water bodies. Shadu maati (natural clay) idols are correct for both tradition and the environment. Many cities also ban PoP idols.
How to avoid the Moon-sighting dosha? +
Avoid looking at the Moon on Chaturthi night. If you accidentally do, recite: "Simhah prasenam avadhit simho Jambavata hatah. Sukumarak ma rodis-tava hyesha syamantakah."
How do we do visarjan abroad? +
If no natural water body is available (or local rules disallow it), do visarjan at home in a large vessel or bucket and use the clay in a plant pot or garden. This is the cleanest, most respectful, and eco-conscious method.