Ganesh Chaturthi 2024: Puja Vidhi and Auspicious Muhurat to Celebrate Vinayaka Chaturthi at Home

Ganesh Chaturthi, also called Vinayaka Chaturthi, is one of the most celebrated festivals in India, symbolizing the birth of Lord Ganesh. The festival is marked with vibrant decorations, devotional prayers, and the installation of Ganesh idols in homes, temples, and public pandals. Falling during the Shukla Paksha of the Bhadrapada month, it typically occurs in August or September. This year, Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated from September 7 to September 17, 2024. As preparations begin, many devotees are already getting ready to welcome Lord Ganesh into their homes with prayers and rituals. Here’s a guide to the puja vidhi and shubhmuhurat to celebrate this festival at home.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2024 Puja Muhurat

Before diving into the puja rituals, it’s essential to know the auspicious timings for the celebration:

• Madhyahna Ganesha Puja Muhurat: September 7, from 11:03 AM to 1:34 PM

• Chaturthi Tithi Begins: 3:01 PM on September 6

• Chaturthi Tithi Ends: 5:37 PM on September 7

How to Perform Ganesh Chaturthi Puja at Home

Step 1: Preparation

Begin by thoroughly cleaning your home and decorating it with flowers, lights, and traditional decorations. On the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, wake up early, take a bath, and prepare for the puja.

Step 2: Idol Installation

Bring a clay idol of Lord Ganesh and place it on a raised platform or altar in your home. This step marks the official start of the puja.

Step 3: Offer a Seat to Lord Ganesh

Place five fresh flowers in front of the idol, symbolically offering Lord Ganesh a seat.

Step 4: Ritual Bathing

Start by washing the feet of the idol with clean water. Follow this by offering scented water to purify the idol.

Step 5: Panchamrit Abhishek

Perform the traditional bath known as "panchamritabhishek," using a mixture of curd, milk, honey, ghee, and sugar to cleanse the idol. This ritual is believed to invoke the deity's blessings.

Step 6: Final Bath and Dressing

After the panchamrit bath, cleanse the idol with Gangajal (holy water) and dress it in new clothes or adornments.

Step 7: Offerings to Lord Ganesh

Next, make offerings that include akshata (unbroken rice), a pushpa mala (flower garland), sindoor (vermilion), durva grass, shamipatra, dhoop (incense), and a deep (lamp). These items are considered sacred and necessary for worship.

Step 8: The Sixteen-Step Puja Ritual

Once all the preparations are complete, perform the sixteen-step Ganesh Chaturthi puja, also known as the Shodashopachara. You can either perform the rituals yourself or invite a priest to lead the ceremony.

Post-Puja Offerings and Daily Rituals

After completing the puja, distribute prasad, which usually includes modaks, laddoos, coconut, and fruits, to family members and guests. Continue to offer prayers every morning and evening until the day of immersion (visarjan).

Visarjan: Farewell to Lord Ganesh

On the final day of the festival, the Ganesh idol is immersed in a water body as part of the visarjan ritual. Devotees bid farewell to Lord Ganesh with chants, hoping for his return in the following year, bringing joy and blessings to their homes once again.

By following these traditional rituals and observing the auspicious muhurat, you can celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at home with devotion and reverence.