Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha — the remover of obstacles and god of wisdom and new beginnings. Families bring home a Ganpati murti, perform daily puja for 1.5, 5, 7, or 11 days, and conclude with visarjan (immersion). Here's a complete guide to celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi at home.
Choosing the Murti
Murtis are available in clay (mitti), Plaster of Paris (POP), and eco-friendly materials. For families concerned about environmental impact, clay murtis with natural colors are strongly recommended — they dissolve safely in water without polluting rivers and lakes.
Ganesh Chaturthi Samagri List
Sthapana (Installation) Vidhi
Choose an auspicious time on Chaturthi day (consult Panchang for exact muhurat)
Clean the area where the murti will be placed and decorate the mandap with flowers, lights, and rangoli
Place the murti facing east or north on the decorated platform
Perform 'Pranapratishtha' — a ritual to invoke the deity's presence into the murti, usually done by a priest
Offer Durva grass, red flowers, and chandan to the murti
Light the diya and incense, and perform the first aarti
Offer modak and other prasad
Recite the Ganesh mantra: 'Om Gan Ganapataye Namah'
Daily Puja Routine
- Morning aarti — light diya, offer flowers and durva grass, sing Ganesh aarti
- Offer fresh modak or sweets each day as bhog
- Evening aarti with the whole family — singing 'Sukhkarta Dukhharta' and 'Jai Ganesh Deva'
- Some families recite Ganesh Atharvashirsha or Sankashti Chaturthi stotra daily
- Keep the murti area clean and replace flowers daily
Modak Prasad Recipe (Simple Version)
Ingredients:
Rice flour, jaggery, fresh grated coconut, cardamom powder, ghee
Method:
Cook grated coconut with jaggery and cardamom until thick (this is the filling). Make a soft dough with rice flour and hot water. Shape into small cups, fill with the coconut-jaggery mixture, fold into the traditional modak shape with pleats, and steam for 10-12 minutes.
Visarjan (Immersion) — Eco-Friendly Tips
Visarjan can be done after 1.5, 3, 5, 7, or 11 days — Anant Chaturdashi (day 11) is the most common conclusion date
Perform a final aarti and seek forgiveness for any errors during the puja — recite 'Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya' (come again next year)
For eco-friendly immersion: use a large bucket or tub of water at home for clay murtis — they dissolve completely and the water can be used for plants
If immersing in a water body, choose designated immersion zones set up by local authorities
Avoid POP murtis and chemical paints — they don't dissolve and harm aquatic ecosystems
Many communities now offer artificial immersion ponds (kritrim talab) — use these where available
💡 Family tradition tip
Every family has its own Ganpati decoration style, modak recipe, and aarti songs passed down for generations. Photograph your mandap setup each year and note any special family rituals — your children will treasure these memories.