Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: Festival Date, Sthapana Muhurat, Origin Legend and Traditions

Key facts

• Ganesh Chaturthi (Vinayaka Chaturthi) falls on Monday, September 14, 2026, beginning the ten-day festival that concludes with Anant Chaturdashi and idol immersion on September 25, 2026.
• According to Drikpanchang, the Chaturthi Tithi begins at 7:06 AM on September 14, 2026 and ends at 7:44 AM on September 15, while the Ganesh Sthapana muhurat is between 11:02 AM and 1:31 PM.
• The festival marks Ganesha's birth, observed on the Chaturthi Tithi of Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada; legend says Goddess Parvati created Ganesha from turmeric and sandalwood paste, and Lord Shiva later replaced his severed head with an elephant's, granting him the status of 'Pratham Pujya'.
• The first sarvajanik (public) Ganesh idol is credited to Bhausaheb Rangari in Pune, and freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak popularised public celebration from 1893 through his newspaper Kesari to unite people against British rule.
• Celebrations include installing clay or Plaster of Paris idols at home or in pandals, offering modaks, durva grass and hibiscus flowers, and immersion (visarjan) in a river, lake or sea; the festival is mainly celebrated in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja among the most famous pandals.