When is Ganesh Chaturthi Festival in 2017

Ganesh Chaturthi day is auspicious beginning of Ganesh Utsav. For bringing good fortune, immense blessings, mammoth happiness and abundant peace at home, statue of Lord Ganesha is temporarily established on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi on shrine places of home or mandaps at grounds of societies. The statue of Lord Ganesha is beautifully admired as 'Atithi' for ten or eleven days in home. On the time of immersion of statue, devotees solely request to Lord Ganesha, "O Lord Ganesha, please come again early next year". Devotees are strictly forbidden to look at moon on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi.

The grand auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi in 2017 is on August 25. Ganesh Chaturthi is completely dedicated to Lord Ganesha - Lord of beginnings and wisdom, which falls on chaturthi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada (August-September). Lord Ganesha is also admired as creator and remover of obstacles. On the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, devotees observe fast and grandly worship Lord Ganesha. Like every year, this year Ganesh Chaturthi will also be celebrated on fourth day of waxing moon period in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada. On the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, beautiful and enchanting idols of Ganpati are brought in homes. From the day of Ganesh Chaturthi to the day of Anant Chaturdashi Ganesh Utsav is vivaciously celebrated all over in India and abroad. On the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, Lord Ganesha is invited as special guest to stay 10-11 days in home. And on the day of Anant chaturdashi (14th day of waxing moon period), Statue of Vighnaharta is wonderfully immersed in sea, river or canal. This is truly a grand ceremony dedicated to Lord Ganesha. But if you really want to enjoy Ganesh Utsav then visit Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu, because Lord Ganesha devotees of these states incredibly celebrate this ceremony.

Lord Ganesha is son of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. Thus, worshiping Lord Ganesha also help devotees to obtain blessings of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. With loud echo of drum or barrels, and with harmonious songs or bhajans, Lord Ganesha is praised on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. With depth of heart people happily invite Lord Ganesha in their homes. Therefore, new statues of Lord Ganesha is brought and established in shrine place of home on the propitious day of Ganesh chaturthi. That statue is treated as 'Atithi' (Special guest) for ten or eleven days in home. Therefore, people heartily bestow proper homage to Lord Ganesha till his presence in home.On 11th day (Anant Chaturdashi), the statue of Lord Ganesha is taken through the streets accompanied with beautiful dancing and melodious singing.

Significance of Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi vrat is observed on Krishna paksha chaturthi on every month. But Ganesh Chaturthi of Shukla Paksha of Bhadrapada is considered to be the significant day and comes once in the year. It is strongly believed that shukla paksha of bhadrapada month is admired as birth of Lord Ganesha. This is the day when Lord Shiva announced Lord Ganesha superior of Gods. But, Devotees are strictly forbidden to look at moon on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. It means it is really inauspicious to look at moon on Ganesh Chaturthi of shukla paksha in the month of Bhadrapada.

Methods and rituals attached to installation of statue of Lord Ganesh on Ganesh chaturthi

Mesmerizing new statue of Lord Ganesha is brought and established in home. For establishing statue of Ganpati, decorate shrine place of home and establish first the wooden platform in north-east direction in home. Wrap the wooden platform with red piece of cloth. Put raw rice, wheat and flower in this wooden platform and establish statue of Lord Ganesha. Offer new cloth, mukut, kumkum, modak, pan, supari, janeu, roli, dubi ghas, blessed food, and fruits to Lord Ganesha.

Welcome of Ganesha from Ganesh Chaturthi to Anant Chaturdashi

Ganesh utsav is majestically celebrated from Ganesh chaturthi to Anant chaturdashi. Every year on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi devotees install or establish new statues of Lord Ganesha in shrine places of home or temporary structures, mandapas (pandals) at ground of society. In shrine place of home, people establish small size of statue, but in mandaps of societies you can see mega size of Ganapti idol. Ganesh Chaturthi is truly a very special day for Hindus and for Vighneshwara devotees. In Mumbai and Ahmedabad, you can happily see massive crowd of Vighneshwara devotees with singing and dancing on songs of Ganesha. Ganesh visarjan is performed on the 11th day from Ganesh chaturthi, and this day is known as anant chaturdashi. Therefore, devotees enormously enjoy Ganesh utsav from the day of Ganesh chaturthi to Anant Chaturdashi.

Beliefs are attached with spiritual people that the presence of Lord Ganesha can be felt during ceremony of Lord Ganesha. People temporarily establish statues of Lord Ganesha at home with the belief that God Ganesh will certainly bring immense happiness in home. With this belief they admire Ganpati as a special guest who came in home and thus they offer pleasant homage, innumerable offerings and serve him varieties of food. Modak or laddoo is very dear to Lord Ganesha. Therefore, devotees offer varied types of modak of rice or wheat flour with a stuffing of dry fruits.

Considering Lord Ganesha is very fortunate, devotees heartily invite this deity at home. They offer homage with very pleasing manner till 10 days, and on 11th day, the idol of Lord Ganesha is taken through the streets for the purpose of immersion of statue of Vighnaharta in water. With depth of heart, and with loud echo, devotees shout 'Ganapati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Laukar ya'. It means 'O Lord Ganesha, come again early next year'.