Introduction: Welcoming Vighnaharta

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of India’s most beloved festivals, honoring Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles and the god of wisdom and prosperity. In 2025, the ten-day celebration begins on Wednesday, August 27, and concludes with Ganesh Visarjan on Saturday, September 6.

This blog is your complete guide — from auspicious timings to pooja samagri, from traditional rituals to modern eco-conscious practices — so that your home pooja is spiritually fulfilling and environmentally responsible.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 Dates & Muhurat

• Ganesh Chaturthi Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
• Chaturthi Tithi Begins: August 26, 2025 – 1:54 PM
• Chaturthi Tithi Ends: August 27, 2025 – 3:44 PM
• Madhyahna Pooja Muhurat: 11:05 AM – 1:40 PM on August 27

The Madhyahna Muhurat (midday) is considered the most auspicious time for Ganesh Sthapana (installation of the idol) and for beginning the pooja.

Step-by-Step Ganesh Chaturthi Pooja Vidhi

1. Preparations & Idol Placement

• Clean and decorate the pooja area.
• Place the idol in the northeast (Ishaan) corner, or east/north if unavailable (avoid south).
• Prefer a seated idol with trunk turned left — symbolizing peace.

2. Essential Samagri Checklist

• Deity & Rituals: Ganesh idol, red/yellow cloth, Kalash with coconut & mango leaves, Panchamrit.
• Offerings: Modaks, fruits, betel leaves & nuts, dry fruits.
• Decoration: Flowers, durva grass, rangoli, diyas, incense, camphor.
• Sacred Items: Haldi, kumkum, chandan, akshata (rice), mauli (sacred thread).

3. Pranapratishtha & Shodashopachara Puja

The sixteen-step worship (Shodashopachara) includes:

1. Invocation (Avahanam)
2. Offering a seat (Asana)
3. Washing feet (Padya)
4. Arghya (water offering)
5. Achamana (sipping water)
6. Bathing the idol with Panchamrit
7. Vastra (clothing)
8. Sacred thread offering
9. Applying sandalwood paste
10. Offering flowers & durva grass
11. Lighting incense
12. Lighting diya
13. Offering Naivedya (modaks, fruits)
14. Tambula (betel leaves & nut)
15. Aarti with family
16. Circumambulation & bowing (Pradakshina & Namaskar)

4. Daily Devotion

• Perform morning & evening aarti.
• Chant mantras:
  • “Om Gam Ganapataye Namah”
  • “Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha…”

Ganesh Visarjan: The Divine Farewell

The festival concludes with Ganesh Visarjan on September 6, 2025, symbolizing the cycle of creation and dissolution. Families bid farewell to Bappa with chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya!”

Eco-Friendly Ganesh Chaturthi: A Conscious Celebration

With rising concerns over water pollution from Plaster of Paris idols, many families are choosing eco-friendly Ganesha idols made of:

• Shadu clay or paper mache
• Tree Ganesha idols that dissolve and grow into plants

Other sustainable practices include:

• Using organic rangoli colors & natural decorations
• Performing symbolic visarjan at home in a clay pot or bucket
• Reusing flowers for compost instead of discarding them in rivers

This way, devotion is preserved while protecting Mother Earth.

Conclusion

Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 is not just a festival — it’s a spiritual journey of devotion, renewal, and responsibility. By following the correct rituals and embracing eco-friendly practices, we ensure that Lord Ganesha’s blessings bring prosperity not just to our homes, but also to our environment.