August 26, Tuesday: Ganesh Chaturthi is an important Hindu festival celebrated across India with utmost passion and devotion. Lord Ganesh is revered as the remover of obstacles in life and the god of wisdom, prosperity, and fortune. The festival is basically an opportunity to seek his blessings and guidance and to be grateful. It is the time when families, friends, and neighbours come together to celebrate this auspicious time.
Ganesh Chaturthi Time & Date
Preparations for the festival are underway, but a lot of people are still uncertain about the exact day and time. The chaturthi tithi according to the Hindu calendar begins on August 26 at 1:54 pm and ends on August 27 at 3:44 pm.
This is one of the biggest festivals in Western India. The whole festivities will start today, 26th August, but will end after 10 days with Ganesh Visarjan, which is on Saturday (September 6).
Significance of Ganesh Chaturthi
It is loosely believed from the myth and long-heard stories from folktales that Lord Ganesh was created by Goddess Parvati from the paste on her body, to guard a chamber when she was bathing and having some alone time.. She had given strict orders to Ganesh not to let anyone enter the chamber. While Ganesh was guarding the door, Lord Shiv was not at home then, and he was unaware of the whole incident. So, when he returned, Ganesh blocked his path and didn't let him enter. Lord Shiv got angry and beheaded Lord Ganesh in a fit of rage. But when Goddess Parvati returned from the chamber, she got upset and demanded that Lord Shiva bring him to life. That's when Lord Shiva replaced Ganesh's head with that of the first living being he found. He found an elephant first and brought Ganesha back to life with his elephant head. From this moment on, Lord Ganesh became the first person to be worshipped.
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha, worshipping his favourite sweets: Laddu and Modak.
Beyond the Hindu rituals and traditions, Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival where people from every religion meet and celebrate together as a family. The festival teaches values like devotion, patience, and respect. On this occasion, families and friends connect at least once a year, with sweets, decorations, and communities to work and celebrate together.
