God of beginnings · Remover of obstacles
Ganesha
Ganesha, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati, is worshipped first in every puja and at every new beginning. Sing his aarti, keep his day, and see when to worship him next in your city.
- His day
- Wednesday
- Next: Wed 28 Oct
- Next Ganesha day
- Sankashti Chaturthi
- In 3 days · Thu 29 Oct
1 of 8 · Morgaon, Pune
Mayureshwar
Here, riding a peacock, Ganesha is said to have slain the demon Sindhu; he is worshipped as Mayureshwar, lord of the peacock.
The yatra begins here and comes back here to close.
2 of 8 · Siddhatek, Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar)
Siddhivinayak
Vishnu is said to have worshipped Ganesha here before he defeated the demons Madhu and Kaitabha, and won success, siddhi.
The only one of the eight whose trunk turns to the right.
3 of 8 · Pali, Raigad
Ballaleshwar
Ganesha saved the boy Ballal, a devotee beaten by his father for his worship, and stayed at Pali in stone at his asking.
The one temple of the eight named after a devotee.
4 of 8 · Mahad, Raigad
Varadavinayak
The sage Gritsamada worshipped Ganesha in the forest here and founded the temple to him as Varadavinayak, the giver of boons.
An oil lamp is said to have burned here without going out since 1892.
5 of 8 · Theur, Pune
Chintamani
Ganesha won back the wish-granting Chintamani jewel from the greedy Guna for the sage Kapila, who placed it at his neck.
The nearest of the eight to Pune.
6 of 8 · Lenyadri, Pune
Girijatmaj
Parvati, called Girija, is said to have done penance here to have Ganesha as her son: he is Girijatmaj, son of Girija.
In a cave carved into the hill, reached by 307 steps.
7 of 8 · Ozar, Pune
Vighneshwar
Ganesha defeated the demon Vighnasura, who asked that his name be joined to Ganesha’s: so he is Vighneshwar, lord of obstacles.
Close to Lenyadri, in the hills north of Pune.
8 of 8 · Ranjangaon, Pune
Mahaganapati
Shiva is said to have worshipped Ganesha here before he fought the demon Tripurasura, and won.
The last of the eight before the return to Morgaon.
Tap a temple to read its story. The yatra goes clockwise from Morgaon and returns there.
His days, in your city
Dates and puja times for the city you pick
For New Delhi
The fourth day after the full moon: a fast for him, broken at moonrise.
- Every Wednesday
- Wed 28 OctHis day of the week
- Ganesh Chaturthi
- Sat 4 Sept11:04 am to 12:26 pm
- Ganesh Visarjan
- Tue 14 Sept
Sing his aarti
जय गणेश जय गणेश जय गणेश देवा।
माता जाकी पार्वती पिता महादेवा॥
Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh, Jai Ganesh Deva,
Mata jaki Parvati, pita Mahadeva.
Glory to Lord Ganesha, whose mother is Parvati and whose father is Mahadeva, the great god Shiva.
भगवान गणेश की जय, जिनकी माता पार्वती हैं और पिता महादेव, महान देव शिव।
A refrain and five verses, sung as the lamp is waved, at the start of every puja.
Sing the whole aartiHis prayers
- Jai Ganesh DevaHis aarti, sung at the start of every pujaRead
- Ganesh ChalisaForty verses in HindiRead
- Sukhakarta DukhahartaThe Marathi aarti by Samarth RamdasSoon
- Ganapati AtharvashirshaThe Upanishad of GanapatiSoon
- Sankatnashan Ganesh StotramFrom the Narada Purana, for times of troubleSoon
- 108 names of GaneshaFor japa with a malaSoon
A simple Wednesday puja
Wednesday is Ganesha’s day, and he is worshipped first before any other puja or new beginning. A short puja at home is enough; on Ganesh Chaturthi it grows into days of worship. Follow your family’s way where it differs.
- Clean the place of worship and set his image on a red or yellow cloth.
- Light a ghee lamp and incense, and offer kumkum, turmeric and akshat (unbroken rice).
- Offer durva grass, in 21 blades if you can, and red flowers such as hibiscus.
- Offer modak or laddoos as naivedya; the modak is his favourite sweet.
- Chant Om Gan Ganapataye Namah 11 or 108 times, or say Vakratunda Mahakaya.
- Sing Jai Ganesh Deva as you wave the lamp, then share the prasad.
What you need
- An image or picture of Ganesha
- A ghee lamp and incense
- Kumkum, turmeric and akshat
- Durva grass and red flowers
- Modak or laddoos
- A coconut, if you like
Prayers for the puja
- Jai Ganesh DevaRead
- Ganesh ChalisaRead
Who is Ganesha
Ganesha is the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati, the remover of obstacles and the lord of beginnings. He is worshipped first in every puja, at weddings and house-warmings, and before exams, journeys and new work.
He is the patron of learning and of writing: tradition holds that he wrote down the Mahabharata as the sage Vyasa spoke it. He is also said to place obstacles in the way of those who would do wrong.
His mount is a mouse and his favourite sweet the modak. His festival, Ganesh Chaturthi, fills Maharashtra and much of India with days of worship before his image is taken to the water.
- Ganapati lord of the ganas, Shiva’s attendants
- Vinayaka the great leader; Vinayagar in Tamil
- Vighneshwara lord of obstacles, who removes them and places them
- Gajanana the elephant-faced
- Ekadanta of the single tusk
- Lambodara of the great belly, which holds the universe
- Pillaiyar the noble child, as he is called in Tamil Nadu
ॐ गं गणपतये नमः
Om Gan Ganapataye Namah
Om, and Gam, his seed sound: I bow to Ganapati, lord of the ganas.
ॐ, और उनका बीज मंत्र गं: गणों के स्वामी गणपति को मेरा नमन।
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ।
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥
Vakratunda mahakaya, suryakoti samaprabha,
Nirvighnam kuru me deva, sarva karyeshu sarvada.
O god of the curved trunk and mighty body, as bright as a million suns: free all my work from obstacles, always.
हे टेढ़ी सूँड़ और विशाल शरीर वाले देव, करोड़ों सूर्यों जैसे तेजस्वी: मेरे सब कामों को सदा बिना बाधा के पूरा करो।
What his symbols mean
The elephant head
Wisdom, and a mind large enough to take in everything: big ears to listen, small eyes to look closely.
The broken tusk
He broke it off to keep writing the Mahabharata: what we give up for knowledge.
The mouse
His mount: desire, small and restless, carrying the lord once it is mastered.
The modak
His favourite sweet, held in his hand: the sweetness of knowledge, the reward of the seeker.
His stories
Across India
Maharashtra
Ganeshotsav: days of worship at home and in public pandals, made a public festival by Lokmanya Tilak in 1893. The Ashtavinayaka yatra goes round eight temples near Pune.
Goa
Chavath: the family image is set under a matoli, a canopy hung with fruit and leaves from the forest, for one and a half days or more.
Karnataka
Gowri Habba the day before, for his mother, then Ganesha Chaturthi with kadubu and modaka.
Tamil Nadu
Vinayagar Chaturthi with kozhukattai, and Pillaiyar shrines under the trees of almost every street.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
Vinayaka Chavithi, with the story of the moon read aloud, and Hyderabad’s towering Khairatabad Ganesh.
Beyond India
Kept wherever Hindus live, from Mauritius to Nepal; Ganesha is honoured in Thailand and Japan too.
His temples
- Siddhivinayak TempleMumbai, Maharashtra
- Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai GanpatiPune, Maharashtra
- Ucchi Pillayar Temple, RockfortTiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu
- Kanipakam Varasiddhi Vinayaka TempleChittoor district, Andhra Pradesh
- Khajrana Ganesh TempleIndore, Madhya Pradesh
- Moti Dungri Ganesh TempleJaipur, Rajasthan
Questions
When is Ganesh Chaturthi in 2027?
Ganesh Chaturthi is on Saturday 4 September 2027 in New Delhi, with the muhurat 11:04 am to 12:26 pm. Pick your city at the top of this page for its own date and muhurat.
Which day is Ganesha’s?
Wednesday, Budhvar, in most of India. A Tuesday is kept too when Sankashti Chaturthi falls on it, as Angarki Chaturthi.
What is Ganesha’s mantra?
Om Gan Ganapataye Namah, often chanted 108 times on a mala. Gam is his seed sound (bija).
What is offered to Ganesha?
Durva grass, red flowers such as hibiscus, and modak or laddoos. Tulsi is traditionally not offered to him.
Why is Ganesha worshipped first?
He is the lord of beginnings and the remover of obstacles. Shiva is said to have blessed him to be worshipped before any other god, so every puja and new venture starts with him.
What is the Ashtavinayaka yatra?
A pilgrimage to eight temples of Ganesha in Maharashtra, most of them near Pune, each with a self-formed image. It begins and ends at Morgaon and takes about three days.