Festival companion · Saturday 4 September 2027

Ganesh Chaturthi

Welcoming the remover of obstacles. Everything for one festival in one place: the story to tell, the puja, a recipe, a craft for children and a shopping list.

Tell the story

The Story of Ganesh Chaturthi

Goddess Parvati made a boy from turmeric paste and asked him to guard her door. When Shiva returned and the boy stopped him, Shiva, not knowing who he was, cut off his head.

Seeing Parvati's grief, Shiva promised to bring the boy back. The first creature found was an elephant, and its head was given to the child. Shiva named him Ganesha, leader of his ganas, and blessed him to be worshipped before every other god.

In Karnataka the day before is Gowri Habba, when Parvati comes to her mother's home, followed a day later by her son.

How families celebrate

Ganesha is welcomed home as an honoured guest, in a clay idol that is worshipped for one, three, five or ten days and then returned to water. Maharashtra celebrates with grand public pandals, Tamil Nadu calls it Vinayaka Chaturthi, and in Karnataka the day before is Gowri Habba, when his mother Gowri is worshipped first.

An eco-friendly clay idol, 21 durva grass blades, modak, kozhukattai or kadubu, Gowri Habba the day before in Karnataka, and a gentle visarjan in a bucket at home.

At home

The Puja

A home puja anyone can follow, step by step, with the words to say.

Short puja 30 minutes · freeFull puja 90 minutes · members

Before you begin

  1. Prepare

    Bathe, wear clean clothes and clean the puja place. Set out a lamp, incense, flowers, kumkum, turmeric, rice, water in a small vessel with a spoon, a bell and the naivedya (food offering).

  2. Light the lamp

    Light the lamp with ghee or oil and fold your hands.

    SayShubham karoti kalyanam arogyam dhana sampadah, shatru buddhi vinashaya deepa jyotir namostute

  3. Pray to Ganesha first

    Every puja begins with Ganesha, so the rest goes without obstacles. Offer a flower or a little rice.

    SayVakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha, nirvighnam kuru me deva sarva karyeshu sarvada

  4. Achamana and sankalpa

    Sip a spoon of water three times. Then hold a little water, rice and a flower and say, in your own language, who you are, where you are, and why you are doing this puja today. Let it fall in a plate.

    SayOm Keshavaya namah · Om Narayanaya namah · Om Madhavaya namah

Short puja

  1. Gowri Habba (the day before)

    In Karnataka, worship Gowri with a small idol or kalasha, tie a sixteen-knot thread and offer bagina (gifts to married women).

  2. Bring Ganesha home

    Bring a clay idol home with its face covered, and place it on a raised platform with rice under a cloth.

  3. Prana pratishtha

    Uncover the face, touch the idol's heart with a durva blade and invite Ganesha to stay.

    SayOm Gam Ganapataye namah

  4. Offer durva and modaka

    Offer 21 durva blades, 21 flowers and 21 modakas or kadubus, saying one name with each.

    SayOm Sumukhaya namah · Om Ekadantaya namah · Om Kapilaya namah · Om Gajakarnakaya namah

  5. Visarjana

    After one, three, five or ten days, perform a final aarti, move the idol slightly to say goodbye and dissolve it in a bucket of water. Pour the water on your plants.

    SayGanapati Bappa Morya, pudhchya varshi lavkar ya

Closing

  1. Naivedya

    Place the food before the deity, sprinkle a little water around it and offer it with your hands open.

    SayOm pranaya svaha · Om apanaya svaha · Om vyanaya svaha · Om udanaya svaha · Om samanaya svaha

  2. Aarti

    Wave the camphor or ghee lamp clockwise in front of the deity, ringing the bell, while the family sings an aarti or bhajan.

  3. Pradakshina and namaskara

    Turn around once clockwise where you stand, then bow or prostrate. Ask forgiveness for anything done wrongly.

    SayYani kani cha papani janmantara kritani cha, tani tani vinashyanti pradakshina pade pade

  4. Share the prasada

    Share the naivedya with everyone at home and with neighbours.

Full puja

The full puja follows the sixteen offerings, the shodashopachara, with every mantra in Devanagari, Kannada or Telugu script. It takes about 90 minutes.

  1. DhyanaThink of the deity
  2. AvahanaInvite the deity
  3. AsanaOffer a seat (a flower or rice)
  4. PadyaWater to wash the feet
  5. ArghyaWater to wash the hands
  6. AchamaniyaWater to sip
  7. SnanaA bath (sprinkle water, or abhisheka)
  8. VastraClothes (a cloth or cotton thread)
  9. Yajnopavita / AbharanaSacred thread or ornaments
  10. GandhaSandal paste, turmeric and kumkum
  11. PushpaFlowers and leaves
  12. DhupaIncense
  13. DeepaA lamp
  14. NaivedyaFood
  15. TambulaBetel leaf and nut, or fruit
  16. Nirajana and namaskaraAarti, flowers and bowing

Full puja for members: Devanagari · Kannada script · Telugu script

Members: open the full pujaShort of time? The short puja is complete on its own: flowers, a lamp and food offered with love are enough.

Print

Short puja guide to print

Full puja for members: Devanagari · Kannada script · Telugu script

Every family and region has its own customs, so follow your elders or priest where they differ.

Across India

How Each Region Celebrates

The same festival has many faces. Find your region, and what to do at home.

South India (Karnataka)

Gowri Habba

The day before

  1. Worship Gowri, Ganesha's mother, with a small idol and a kalasha.
  2. Married women give each other bagina, a winnowing tray with turmeric, kumkum, bangles and grains.
West India (Maharashtra)

Ganeshotsav

1.5, 5, 7 or 10 days

  1. Bring a clay Ganesha home and do arati morning and evening.
  2. Make ukadiche modak and sing "Sukhakarta Dukhaharta".
  3. Immerse the idol in a bucket at home, then pour the clay water into the garden.
South India (Tamil Nadu, Andhra)

Vinayaka Chaturthi

The main day

  1. Offer kozhukattai (steamed modak), 21 kinds of leaves and arugampul (durva grass).
  2. Tell the story of the moon laughing at Ganesha, and avoid looking at the moon that night.

Cook together

Ukadiche Modak

More recipes →
Maharashtra and South India · Ganesh Chaturthi

Ukadiche Modak

Steamed modak: kozhukattai in Tamil, kadubu in Kannada, kudumulu in Telugu

  • 1 hour
  • Serves 15
Ingredients and method

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice flour
  • 1 cup water, 1 tsp ghee, pinch of salt
  • 1 cup fresh grated coconut
  • ¾ cup jaggery
  • ¼ tsp cardamom

Method

  1. Cook coconut and jaggery until thick, add cardamom, and cool.
  2. Boil water with ghee and salt, stir in rice flour, cover and rest 5 minutes, then knead smooth.
  3. Flatten a ball, pinch pleats around the edge, fill, and close at the top.
  4. Steam for 12 minutes and serve with ghee.

Ganesha's favourite. Offer 21 modaks on Chaturthi.

For children

Shape a small clay Ganesha

You need

  • Natural clay or shaadu maati (not plaster)
  • A bowl of water
  • A toothpick
  • Turmeric and kumkum

Steps

  1. Roll a big ball for the body and a smaller one for the head.
  2. Make a trunk from a rolled sausage of clay and curve it.
  3. Add ears, arms and a small mouse beside him.
  4. Let it dry, and immerse it in a bucket of water at home after the puja.

Get ready

Shopping List

Tick things off as you go, or print the list for the Indian store.

Shopping list

Looking for something, or want to help? Ask us for a festival, ceremony or recipe from your region, or tell us how you would like to help.

Contact us