Ganesh Chaturthi, a festival celebrated with immense fervor across India, is set to conclude on September 17, 2024. This ten-day celebration, honoring Lord Ganesh, is especially grand in states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka, where it culminates in a significant ritual known as Ganesh Visarjan.
Ganesh Chaturthi is a major Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Ganesh, revered as the remover of obstacles and the god of new beginnings. The festival’s central theme revolves around inviting an idol of Lord Ganesh into homes and communities, worshipping it with devotion, and then immersing the idol in a water body at the end of the celebration. This ritual, known as Ganesh Visarjan, symbolizes bidding farewell to Lord Ganesh, with the hope of his return next year.
For Ganesh Visarjan 2024, the date is set for September 17. The Chaturdashi Tithi, which is crucial for the immersion ceremony, begins at 03:10 PM on September 16 and ends at 11:44 AM on September 17. The auspicious timings for the Ganesh Visarjan, according to the Hindu Panchang, are segmented into several Shubh Muhurats:
Morning Muhurat: 09:11 AM to 01:47 PM, which includes the Chara, Labha, and Amrita periods.
Afternoon Muhurat: 03:19 PM to 04:51 PM, known as Shubha.
Evening Muhurat: 07:51 PM to 09:19 PM, falling under the Labha period.
Night Muhurat: 10:47 PM to 03:12 AM on September 18, incorporating Shubha, Amrita, and Chara periods.
During Ganesh Visarjan, devotees prepare traditional sweets such as modak and motichoor laddus, which are offered as prasad. The festival, while marking a grand farewell to Ganpati Bappa, also reflects the deep devotion and hope for his early return the following year.
