The Durban Ganesh Utsav, also known as Ganesh Chaturthi, is dedicated to the birth of Lord Ganesha. It took place at the Greyville Racecourse.
On the final day, Sunday, followers immersed the idol of Lord Ganesha in water. This act symbolizes the eternal cycle of creation and dissolution, as well as Ganesha's return to his heavenly abode.
After ten days filled with joy in homes and hearts, the time comes to bid farewell to beloved Bappa. This sacred period of Ganesh Utsav concludes on the day of Ananta Chaturdashi, which is not only a day of bidding farewell to Vignaharta but also a great festival dedicated to the worship of the forms of God Shri Hari Vishnu, known as 'Ananta'.
This year's Ananta Chaturdashi promises to be an exceptionally auspicious and rare combination, bringing boundless grace from Mother Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. Below is an overview of favorable times for Ganesh visarjan, the correct method of worship, and special rules associated with this day.
If you wish to perform Bappa's visarjan and worship Lord Ananta according to astrological prescriptions, then according to the Panchang, the following time intervals will be most suitable:
The period from 06:12 AM to 12:36 PM is considered best for performing the main worship and tying the Ananta Sutra, as it brings the most favorable results.
This year, the date of Ananta Chaturdashi falls on a Friday. From a religious perspective, Friday is dedicated to the goddess of wealth Maa Lakshmi, so worshipping Lord Vishnu and Mother Lakshmi together is considered extremely fruitful for devotees.
Furthermore, on this day, both Yoga Sarvartha Siddhi and Ravi Yog are formed simultaneously. According to Jyotish Shastra, any religious act, worship, or fast performed during these great yogas brings untainted deserved blessings and removes poverty from life.
When bidding farewell to Bappa from home, remember that he must be sent off with the same respect with which he was welcomed with devotion and enthusiasm.
It is necessary to wake up before sunrise, take a bath, and wear yellow clothing. After this, one should take the vow of fasting. Spread a yellow cloth on the platform and install the statues of Lord Vishnu and Mother Lakshmi.
Take a thread made of silk or rope dyed with turmeric or kumkum and tie 14 knots on it. These 14 knots symbolize the fourteen lokas (such as Bhu, Bhuvah, Sva, Patala, etc.).
This protective thread should be placed at the feet of the Deity. Offer bhog of akshat, flowers, incense, lamps, and specifically malpua or Panchamrit. After this, it is necessary to listen to the mythological story of the Ananta Chaturdashi fast and perform Aarti.
Men should tie this protective thread on their right hand. Women should wear it on their left hand.
Every year, the Ganesh Chaturthi festival begins on the fourth day of the lunar month Bhadrapada and concludes on Anant Chaturdashi. Typically, this festival lasts for about ten days, but due to date changes, there may sometimes be a difference of one or two days.
During the celebration, followers worship Lord Ganesha, praying for peace, prosperity, affluence, and deliverance from life's difficulties. People install a statue of Ganesha at home for a period ranging from three to five, seven, or a full ten days, according to their faith and convenience, after which they perform the immersion ritual (Visarjan) of the statue according to established rules.
If you plan to install Ganesha in your home this year, Pandit Pravin Mishra has provided information regarding what the statue should look like, what time is auspicious for installation, what materials are needed for worship, and what to pay attention to during the installation.
This time, Ganesh Utsav will start on September 14, 2026, and conclude on September 25, 2026, on the day of Anant Chaturdashi, when the statues of Ganesha will be immersed.
The time for installing Ganesha is considered very important. The auspicious moment for installing the Ganesha statue on September 14, 2026, falls between 11:03 AM and 1:31 PM. During this time, the installation and worship of Lord Ganesha can be performed according to all rituals.
If you are bringing Ganesha into your home for the first time, you must first thoroughly clean the premises. Special attention should be paid to the place where the Ganesha statue will be installed. After that, the house can be decorated with flowers, leaves, and torans to welcome Ganesha. It is also considered auspicious to draw a Swastika symbol at the main entrance of the house.
For the installation of Ganesha, a clean platform should be prepared and covered with a new red or yellow cloth. This is the platform upon which the Ganesha statue is placed.
When purchasing a Ganesha statue, several points should be considered. According to religious beliefs, statues made of clay are considered auspicious, so it is recommended to choose a clay statue. Furthermore, it is considered auspicious to have a seated Ganesha statue. It is also important that the trunk of the statue is turned to the left. Such a statue can be installed at home and worshipped according to rituals.
The northeast direction, known as Ishan Kona, is considered auspicious for installing the statue in the home. Therefore, if possible, the installation of Ganesha should be done in this direction.
Before installing Ganesha, all materials for worship must be prepared. This requires a platform, a red or yellow cloth, a Kalash, mango leaves, twigs, Akshat, flowers, fruits, coconut, Modak or Laddu, incense, sandalwood, and a ghee lamp. Durva grass must be used during worship, as it is especially loved by Ganesha. A garland of Durva can also be offered to Ganesha.
After this, various fruits and sweets can be offered to Ganesha. The offering of Modak is particularly significant. Additionally, Laddu made from chickpea flour can also be offered.
First, a platform is placed in the spot where the Ganesha statue will be installed and covered with a red or yellow cloth. Then, the Ganesha statue is placed on the platform. After this, the statue is purified with a Ghajal. Next, Tilak is applied to Ganesha, and flowers and Akshat are offered. Incense and the lamp are lit, performing Aarti to Ganesha. Following this, fruits, Modaks, or Laddus are presented. During worship, one should offer their wishes at Ganesha's feet and pray for peace and freedom from life's problems.
It is also considered auspicious during worship to repeat the Ganesha mantra. You can repeat any Ganesha mantra according to your belief. The simplest mantra sounds like: 'Om Gam Ganapataye Namah'. This mantra should be repeated with sincere faith, praying to Ganesha for the resolution of life's problems and the fulfillment of desires. After worship, the Prasad should be distributed to as many people as possible. There is a religious belief that by worshipping Ganesha with faith and devotion during Ganesh Utsav, one can receive his grace, leading to happiness and prosperity in life.
The duration for keeping Ganesha at home depends on your faith and convenience. You can install Ganesha for 3, 5, 7, or 10 days. The number of days Ganesha stays at home should be the number of days you worship him with faith and devotion. After this, the immersion ritual of the Ganesha statue should be performed at an auspicious time according to all rules, and he should be asked to return next year.
