Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 began on Monday, September 14, honoring Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity revered as the remover of obstacles. The ten-day festival runs until Ganesh Visarjan later this month, with devotees performing Sthapana and puja during the midday Madhyahna muhurat, offering modaks, flowers, and durva grass to the deity.
Rituals, Processions, and Greetings
Communities across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, and Gujarat marked the day with idol installations, processions, and visits to prominent sites like Mumbai’s Siddhivinayak Temple and Hyderabad’s Khairatabad Ganesha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings to citizens, sharing a Sanskrit verse invoking Lord Ganesha’s blessings for the nation’s continued progress.
A Growing Eco-Friendly Push
Environmental concerns have become a bigger part of the celebrations in recent years. In Andhra Pradesh, the state Pollution Control Board has worked with local groups to distribute clay idols and encourage the public to avoid Plaster of Paris, in line with Solid Waste Management Rules that emphasize a circular economy. Similar clay-idol distribution drives have taken place in Telangana, where organizations like the Shyamala Gopalan Educational Foundation gave out free eco-friendly idols in Kothagudem.
A Festival Rooted in Community
Beyond the environmental push, the festival remains centered on community and devotion, with towering public idols, cultural programs, and household celebrations that can run anywhere from a day and a half to the full ten days, depending on family tradition. The festivities will conclude with Ganesh Visarjan, when idols are immersed in water in a symbolic farewell to the deity.