Ganesh Chaturthi 2023: Get all the information about the date, history, significance, and celebrations of the 10-day Vinayaka Chaturthi festival.
In India, the holy Hindu holiday of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great fanfare every year. The day, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Ganesh Utsav, commemorates Lord Ganesha’s birth and is honored by followers for ten days. It occurs on the Chaturthi tithi of Shukla Paksha every year. Ganesh Visarjan is the last day of the 10-day festival. Devotees immerse Lord Ganesha’s statues in water on this day. While Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated throughout the country, it is celebrated on a huge scale in Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka, particularly in cities such as Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad. If you are celebrating the event with your family, make sure you are aware of its date, history, significance, and celebrations.
Date of Ganesh Chaturthi 2023
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated from September 19 to September 28. On September 19, the Ganesh Puja muhurat will begin at 11:01 a.m. and end at 1:28 p.m. According to Drik Panchang, the Chaturthi Tithi will begin on September 18 at 12:39 p.m. and end on September 19 at 1:43 p.m.
Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 Symbolism and History
Lord Ganesha is the god of knowledge, wisdom, prosperity, and happiness. According to mythology, Maa Paravati fashioned Lord Ganesha out of sandalwood paste. While taking a bath, she is said to have left Lord Ganesha to watch the area. Lord Shiva, who was not present at the time, was aware of the plan. When he returned, he was surprised to see Lord Ganesha standing outside the bathing site of Maa Parvati. When Lord Ganesha refused to let Lord Shiva enter the temple, Lord Shiva became enraged and severed Ganesha’s head. When Maa Parvati saw this, she became enraged and assumed the Kaali avatar, threatening to annihilate the universe. After discovering the truth, Lord Shiva directed his warriors to retrieve the head of a child whose mother was turning the other cheek. His men returned with the head of a newborn elephant, which they presented to Ganesha. That is how Lord Ganesha earned the moniker “elephant-headed god.”
For Hindus, Ganesh Chaturthi has enormous spiritual and cultural significance. Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, is said to bestow intelligence, success, and good fortune on his devotees. Before beginning any work, exam, wedding, or new employment, devotees seek Lord Ganesha’s blessings.
Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations in 2023
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great zeal throughout the country, particularly in Maharashtra, Telangana, and Karnataka. People bring idols of Ganpati Bappa to their homes to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi for one and a half days, three days, seven days, or ten days. The event concludes with Ganesh Visarjan, in which devotees plunge Lord Ganesha’s statues in water with heavy hearts, hoping that Bappa will return the next year. During Visarjan, huge processions are organized with people shouting “Ganapati Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya.”
During Ganesh Chaturthi, devotees also fast. Some individuals observe it only on the first and last days, while others observe it for the entire 10 days.