“वक्रतुंड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ।
निर्विघ्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥”

Ganpati festival (गणपती महोत्सव) in Maharashtra is celebrated with great fervor as a deeply auspicious occasion. It honors Lord Ganesha – the divine elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati – who is revered as the remover of obstacles and bestower of wisdom, prosperity and unity en.wikipedia.org. In Hindu tradition Ganesha is the “first” deity invoked at the start of any ceremony en.wikipedia.org, and Maharashtrian Ganeshotsav has historic roots: it was popularized as a public celebration in 1893 by Bal Gangadhar Tilak to unite people during colonial rule livemint.com. Communities across Mumbai, Pune and other cities set up ornate pandals and grand idols, bringing families together in music, dance and prayer for blessings of success and well-being.

In Maharashtra the festival brings cities alive with music and massive gatherings. Iconic pandals draw huge crowds: for example, Mumbai’s Lalbaugcha Raja (a 14-ft “Bappa” idol) averages about 1.5 million visitors per day during Ganeshotsav hindustantimes.com. Pune’s famous Dagdusheth Ganpati temple is another major draw. Such celebrations reflect deep devotion – millions of devotees offer modaks, flowers and prayers to invoke Ganapati’s blessings.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 Date and Time (गणेश चतुर्थी २०२५ – तारीख आणि वेळ)

Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 will be celebrated on Wednesday, 27 August 2025 lokmat.com, drikpanchang.com. This corresponds to the Shukla Paksha Chaturthi tithi. Specifically, Chaturthi tithi begins on Aug 26, 2025 at 1:54 PM and ends on Aug 27, 2025 at 3:44 PM drikpanchang.com. The auspicious Madhyahna Ganesh Puja Muhurat (सकाळी-मध्यान्ह पुण्य मुहूर्त) on that day is from 11:05 AM to 1:40 PM on August 27 drikpanchang.com. In Marathi: “गणेश चतुर्थी २०२५ बुधवार, २७ ऑगस्ट रोजी आहे lokmat.com. भाद्रपद शुद्ध चतुर्थी तिथि २६ ऑगस्ट रोजी दुपारी १:५४ वाजता सुरु होऊन २७ ऑगस्ट रोजी दुपारी ३:४४ वाजता संपते drikpanchang.com. पूजेसाठी शुभ मध्याह्न मुहूर्त २७ ऑगस्ट रोजी सकाळी ११:०५ ते दुपारी १:४० आहे drikpanchang.com.” Tradition holds that Lord Ganesha’s birth is associated with the Swati Nakshatra (शुत्री नक्षत्र) panchang.astrosage.com, making this Chaturthi particularly auspicious in 2025.

Chaturthi tithi begins on Aug 26, 2025 at 1:54 PM and ends on Aug 27, 2025 at 3:44 PM

Key Mantras for Ganpati Puja (प्रमुख गणपती मंत्र)

During Ganpati puja, devotees chant sacred mantras to invoke Lord Ganesha’s blessings. Some popular mantras include:

• Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha (वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ) – “O Lord with the curved trunk and mighty body, whose brilliance is like a million suns, please remove all obstacles in my work” drikpanchang.com.
  मराठीत: “वक्र आणि महाकाय रूपधारी हे भगवान गणेश! ज्यांचे तेज सूर्यकोटीइतके प्रखर आहे, कृपया माझ्या सर्व कार्यांत अडथळे येऊ नयेत, असे आशीर्वाद दे.”
• Om Gam Ganapataye Namah (ॐ गं गणपतये नमः) – “Om, salutations to Lord Ganesha (Ganapati), the remover of all obstacles.” drikpanchang.com.
  मराठीत: “‘ॐ गं गणपतये नमः’ या मंत्राचा अर्थ आहे – ‘मी सर्व अडथळे दूर करणाऱ्या गणपतीला प्रणाम करतो.’”

These mantras are chanted (जप) during the puja, often followed by an aartis (आरती) and offerings of sweets (ज्येष्ठक चंदन) to seek Ganesha’s grace drikpanchang.com

Ashtavinayak Pilgrimage Temples

Maharashtra’s Ashtavinayak (“Eight Ganeshas”) are a famous pilgrimage circuit of eight ancient Ganesha temples. Each temple’s sthala purana (legend) highlights Ganesha’s divine deeds. These include:

• 1. Mayureshwar (Morgaon, Pune): This is the main Ashtavinayak shrine. Legend says Lord Ganesha appeared as Mayureshwar riding a peacock to defeat the demon Sindhu bambinos.live. Devotees begin the pilgrimage here, since Morgaon is revered as the first and foremost Ganpati temple.
• 2. Siddhivinayak (Siddhatek, Ahmednagar): Here Ganesha blessed Lord Vishnu to conquer the demons Madhu and Kaitabha bambinos.live. The hilltop Siddhatek temple is famed for granting spiritual power and success (siddhi).
• 3. Ballaleshwar (Pali, Raigad): Named after a devout boy Ballal, this temple’s legend recounts Ganesha saving young Ballal from his cruel father. Pleased by Ballal’s faith, Ganesha manifested as Ballaleshwar bambinos.live. (Interestingly, Ballaleshwar is the only Ashtavinayak named for a devotee.)
• 4. Varadavinayak (Mahad, Raigad): Associated with King Rukmangada, who was cursed with leprosy but healed by worshipping Ganesha as Varadavinayak (the “giver of boons”) bambinos.live. The idol was found in a sacred lake and grants devotees’ wishes.
• 5. Chintamani (Theur, Pune): In Theur, Ganesha is called Chintamani (“jewel of all thoughts”) – legend says he retrieved a precious gem (Chintamani) stolen from sage Kapila, relieving the sage’s worries bambinos.live. The temple is believed to remove devotees’ anxieties.
• 6. Girijatmaj (Lenyadri, Pune): Carved in a single cave on a hill, this temple is where Goddess Parvati worshipped Ganesha for a son. Hence Ganesha is called Girijatmaj (Parvati’s son) here bambinos.live. It’s unique as a cave temple and is the only Ashtavinayak in the western caves of Lenyadri.
• 7. Vighneshwar (Ozar, Pune): Legend holds that Ganesha vanquished the demon Vighnasura at Ozar, earning the name Vighneshwar (remover of obstacles) bambinos.live. The idol faces east and devotees pray here to overcome difficulties.
• 8. Mahaganapati (Ranjangaon, Pune): The temple where Lord Shiva is said to have worshipped Ganesha before battling the demon Tripurasura, making this the most powerful of the eight. The Mahaganapati idol is richly ornamented with 66 kg of gold and 325 kg of silver timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Pilgrims believe visiting all eight Ashtavinayak temples brings lasting success and prosperity.

अशी परंपरा आहे की या आठ गणपती मंदिरांची यात्रा पारंपारिक धार्मिक महत्त्वाची मानली जाते आणि यातून भक्तांना यश, आरोग्य आणि समृद्धी प्राप्त होतात. (It is traditionally believed that devotees who complete the pilgrimage of these eight Ganapati temples are blessed with success, health and prosperity.)

Famous Ganpati Mandals & Their Budgets

Maharashtra is home to several famed public Ganpati mandals known for their grand celebrations and budgets:

• Lalbaugcha Raja (Mumbai): Mumbai’s Lalbaugcha Raja is perhaps the most iconic Ganpati mandal. Its 14-ft clay Ganapati idol (known fondly as “Bappa”) draws millions. In 2024 the mandal insured its 10-day festival for ₹32.76 crore timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Lalbaugcha Raja also collected a record ₹4.66 crore in offerings by immersion day hindustantimes.com. (Volunteers take nearly a week to count cash, valuables and jewelry donated by an average 1.5 million daily visitors hindustantimes.com.)
• GSB Seva Mandal (King’s Circle, Mumbai): Mumbai’s richest Ganpati mandal, the GSB Seva Mandal (also called King’s Circle Ganpati), celebrates a 5-day festival. It took out a record ₹400.58 crore insurance policy in 2024 timesofindia.indiatimes.com (covering volunteers, gold ornaments, public liability, etc.). Its idol is lavishly adorned with 66 kg of gold and 325 kg of silver timesofindia.indiatimes.com. (For 2025 the cover rose to ₹474.46 crore as gold prices jumped indiatoday.in.)
• Chinchpokli cha Chintamani (Mumbai): This famous Jogeshwari/Chinchpokli mandal fielded a 22-foot tall Ganesha idol in 2024 timesofindia.indiatimes.com, styled on the Jagannath Puri tradition. Its grand aagman procession is said to draw about 2 lakh (200,000) people in a single day timesofindia.indiatimes.com, making it one of the city’s largest Ganpati yatras.
• Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganapati (Pune): Pune’s historic Dagdusheth Ganpati Temple is famed across the state. In 2022 its trust took out ₹50 crore per day of insurance for the 10-day festival timesofindia.indiatimes.com (₹500 crore total) to cover emergencies and theft. The idol here is known for its gold and diamond jewelry, and devotees throng the Lal Mahal road pandal for darshan.

लालबागचा राजा आणि जीएसबी मंडळ महाराष्ट्रातील प्रसिद्ध गणपती मंडळांमध्ये अग्रगण्य असून त्यांचे उत्सव प्रचंड भव्य पद्धतीने साजरे केले जातात. (Lalbaugcha Raja and GSB Mandal are among Maharashtra’s foremost Ganpati mandals, known for their elaborate and grand celebrations.)

These temples and mandals exemplify the grandeur of Maharashtra’s Ganpati Utsav. From the eight holy Ashtavinayak shrines steeped in legend, to the celebrated Mumbai and Pune pandals with crores in budgets, the festival remains a cherished, auspicious occasion across the state. Devotees believe that worshipping Ganapati during this festival brings divine blessings, unity, and prosperity into their lives en.wikipedia.orglivemint.com.

Ganesh Chaturthi Rules and Traditions | गणेश चतुर्थीचे नियम आणि परंपरा

Ganesh Chaturthi (गणेश चतुर्थी), also known as Ganeshotsav or Vinayaka Chaturthi, is one of India’s most cherished festivals economictimes.indiatimes.com. Each year, devotees celebrate Lord Ganesha’s birthday with special Ganpati puja rules and regulations for rituals. These include the famous moon-sighting rule, Ganpati vrat practices, and eco-friendly customs. In this bilingual guide, we explain these traditions step-by-step. (मराठीत: गणेश चतुर्थीच्या विधींमध्ये चंद्रदर्शन नियम, व्रत विधी आणि पर्यावरणपूरक पद्धती यांचा समावेश आहे. खाली त्या सर्वांचा तपशीलवार आढावा दिला आहे.)

Moon Sighting Rule (चंद्र दर्शन नियम)

Ganesh Chaturthi devotees avoid looking at the moon on this day. According to mythology, Lord Ganesha once cursed Chandra (the Moon) for mocking him. In one legend, Ganesha fell down after eating sweets and his belly burst open. The Moon god Chandra laughed at him, so Ganesha cursed that anyone who sees the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi will face false accusations and dishonor thepanvelite.com.

(मराठीत: या पुराणकथेप्रमाणे, गणपतींच्या दिवशी चंद्र दिसल्यास मिथ्ये दोष बसतो.) A related story involves Lord Krishna: he was wrongly accused of stealing the Syamantaka jewel, but learned from Sage Narada that seeing the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi invoked this curse economictimes.indiatimes.com. To clear his name, Krishna observed a Ganesh vrat and worshiped Ganesha, which is why devotees now honor this rule economictimes.indiatimes.com. Thus, devotees keep their gaze downward (e.g. playing cards or prayers) during Ganesh Chaturthi to avoid the moon.

Ganesh Vrat Rules (गणेश व्रत नियम)

Devotees observe a Ganesh vrat (व्रत) — a day-long fast and puja — on Ganesh Chaturthi to seek Lord Ganesha’s blessings. Common practices include:

• Types of Fast (उपवास): Many choose Nirjala (no food or water), Phalahar (fruits, nuts, milk products) or a Satvik (simple vegetarian) diet moneycontrol.com. This might involve meals like sabudana khichdi, kheer, fruits (तिळाच्या खिचडी, खीर, फळे).
• Avoidance (टाळावे): Devotees completely avoid non-vegetarian food, alcohol, onion and garlic moneycontrol.com. (मांसाहार, दारू, कांदा-लसूण टाळा.) They also refrain from tobacco and impure thoughts, maintaining mental and physical purity.
• Salt and Ingredients: Instead of regular salt, fast-observers use rock salt (sendha namak) moneycontrol.com. Meals are prepared satvik-style (simple, minimal spices) and offered first to Ganesha moneycontrol.com. (उदाहरणार्थ, साध्या प्रमाणात तेल मसाला वापरा आणि ब्राह्मण नमक वापरा.)
• Offerings: The first portion of food is offered to Lord Ganesha moneycontrol.com. Favorite sweets like modak and laddoo are made as prasad moneycontrol.com. भक्तांनी तोंडासमोर गणपतींना मोदक-अर्पण करावे.
• Devotion: Fasting is accompanied by puja (पूजा), aarti and chanting Ganesha mantras (“ॐ गं गणपतये नमः,” etc.) in the morning and evening. The goal is to practice self-discipline and humility (आध्यात्मिक प्रगती आणि नम्रता).

In Maharashtra, Ganeshotsav is often a 10-day festival with elaborate pujas, whereas in other regions it may be shorter. Across India, Ganesh Chaturthi observances vary: for example, in Tamil Nadu’s Pillayar Chaturthi devotees offer kozhukattai (जागरीत खोबरे व गूळाचे तांदळाचे मोदक) to Ganesha and immerse clay idols (the state even bans plaster-of-Paris idols for eco reasons) hindutone.com. Karnataka’s Ganesh Habba and Goa’s Chavath also involve similar pujas but often with local sweets (गोंधळीचे तांदूळ, नवरसे) and shorter fasts. (मराठीत: महाराष्ट्रात दस दिवसीय गणेशोत्सव साजरा होतो तर अन्यत्र संक्षिप्त सार्वजनिक किंवा कौटुंबिक विधींद्वारे गणेश पूजन होते hindutone.com.)

Eco-Friendly Festival Etiquette (पर्यावरणपूरक उत्सव शिष्टाचार)

Today’s Ganeshotsav also emphasizes environmental responsibility. Key eco-friendly guidelines include:

• Clay or Metal Idols: Use natural clay (shadu mati) Ganesh idols that dissolve easily in water freepressjournal.in, ppsthane.com. Avoid plaster-of-Paris (PoP) idols and toxic paints which pollute rivers freepressjournal.in, ppsthane.com. (प्लास्टर ऑव पॅरिसचे मूर्ती टाळा.) Many communities encourage metal idols (e.g. brass or Panchdhatu) that can be kept for years freepressjournal.in.
• Natural Decorations: Decorate with flowers, banana leaves or eco-materials. Avoid plastic, thermocol, and chemical decorations ppsthane.com. (फुलं, पानं वापरा; प्लॅस्टिक आणि थर्माकोल टाळा.) Use turmeric or natural dyes instead of synthetic colors.
• Noise Control: Keep noise below permissible limits (CPCB permits ~75 dB by day). Use traditional drums (dhol-tasha), refrain from firecrackers, and limit loudspeakers to protect neighbors. (गणेशोत्सवात दरू आणि अशांत करणारी गोष्टी टाळा; पारंपारिक ढोल-ताशा आणि आरतीनेच उत्साह वाढवा.)
• Eco Visarjan: Immerse idols in designated tanks or artificial ponds (जलकुंड) to prevent water pollution ppsthane.com. Some offer symbolic immersion by immersing a clay pot or a small idol in a bucket or sacred pond.
• Community Efforts: Many groups organize clean-up drives, tree-planting (वृक्षारोपण) and blood donation camps during Ganeshotsav. These activities reflect Ganesha’s message of unity and compassion. For example, Maharashtra’s big pandals often raise awareness for eco-ganeshotsav hindutone.com.

Conclusion

Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival that blends devotion with community spirit and social awareness. By following these Ganesh Chaturthi festival rules from the ancient moon-sighting myth and vrat practices, to modern eco-friendly customs devotees honor Lord Ganesha’s blessings (श्रीगणपतीचे आशीर्वाद). हे सर्व नियम भक्तिमान आणि आदरयुक्त पद्धतीने पाळल्यास गणपति बाप्पाचे आगमन अधिक मंगलमय आणि अर्थपूर्ण होईल. जय बाप्पा मोरया! (Ganpati Bappa Morya – बाप्पा मोरया!)

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