Ganesh Chaturthi 2025: The Birth of Lord Ganesha
Festival guide · 2025
Ganesh Chaturthi (गणेश चतुर्थी) — also called Vinayaka Chaturthi — celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity of wisdom and new beginnings. It begins on the 4th day (Chaturthi) of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada (August–September) and lasts 10 days.
The festival is most grandly celebrated in Maharashtra, where it was revived as a large public event by freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1893 to foster community and national consciousness. Today it is India's grandest public festival, drawing tens of millions.
2025 Dates
| Date | Wednesday, August 27, 2025 |
Dates are calculated automatically and may vary by ±1 day. Always confirm with your local religious authority.
Traditions & Observance
Installation of the Idol (Pranapratishtha)
Clay idols of Ganesha — ranging from inches to several storeys tall — are installed in homes and community pandals (temporary shrines). A priest performs Pranapratishtha, inviting Ganesha's presence into the idol with mantras. Daily puja, aarti, and prasad distribution follow for the duration of the festival.
Celebrations in Maharashtra
The largest celebrations are in Pune and Mumbai, where community (sarvajanik) Ganesh pandals attract millions of visitors. The Lalbaugcha Raja pandal in Mumbai is the most famous, with queues stretching for kilometres. Processions, cultural programmes, music, and feasting fill the ten days.
Modak — Lord Ganesha's Favourite
Modak — a sweet steamed dumpling of coconut and jaggery enclosed in rice flour — is Ganesha's favourite offering. Hundreds of millions of modak are made and distributed as prasad during Ganesh Chaturthi. Fried modak (talniche modak) is also popular, alongside puranpoli, coconut laddoo, and other sweets.
Visarjan — The Farewell Immersion
On the 10th day (Anant Chaturdashi), idols are carried in grand processions to rivers, lakes, or the sea for immersion — returning Ganesha to his cosmic home. The farewell cry of 'Ganapati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya' (Lord Ganesha, come back soon next year) echoes through streets.
Other Years
Dates are based on the Hindu panchang. Exact tithi times vary by location. Confirm with your local temple or pandit.