Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: Tithi, puja muhurat, vidhi - Here's how you can celebrate the festival

New Delhi: The auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated this year on August 22. It is a 10-day-long festival widely celebrated in Maharashtra with much fervour. Ganesh Chaturthi is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi. It is the day that marks the birth of Lord Ganpati. It is one of the major Hindu festivals.

Devotees bring Ganpati idols to their home and organise puja. The idols can be kept at home for a day or two and some families worship the God at home even for ten days, depending upon their own wish.

Meanwhile, huge Ganpati pandals are also set up, where people come and seek blessings. Special prasad such as modaks are prepared and offered to the Lord. This year the celebrations have been restricted to home and large gatherings have to be avoided due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Puja Timings and Shubh Muhurat

Ganesha Puja Muhurat: 11:05 am to 01:41 pm (August 22)
Chaturthi tithi begins: 11:02 am (August 21)
Chaturthi tithi ends: 07:57 pm (August 22)
Ganesh Visarjan on September 1
Time to avoid Moon sighting: 09:06 am to 09:25 pm (September 1)

(According to drikpanchang.com)

It is believed that Lord Ganesha was born during the Madhyana period (noon) and hence, the recommended Puja timing is in the afternoon.

After 10 days, Bappa's idols are immersed in water. Devotees bid a tearful adieu to him with a promise that he will return next year.

It is popularly believed that on the tenth day after visarjan, Lord Ganesha heads back to Mount Kailasha to his parents - Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati's home.

Puja Vidhi

Place a fresh piece of red cloth on a wooden platform and make sure the Lord's idol is placed there carefully. Meanwhile, light a lamp and incense sticks. Invoke Lord Ganesha in the idol and worship him. 

Do remember that if your idol is made of Pancha Dhatu (a mixture of five metals) then, perform the Abhishekham with Panchamrit (made of banana/fruits, milk, curd, ghee and sugar/honey).

After the Abhishekham, wipe the Ganpati idol with a fresh piece of cotton cloth.

You can offer mouli (sacred thread) or a small piece of new cloth (preferably yellow) to the deity. Then put a Janeyu around his torso (make sure it rests on his left shoulder and diagonally goes around his body under the right shoulder. Later add a tika with haldi and kumkum on his forehead.

Offer red hibiscus or any other flower to the idol. Also, offer Durva grass (special green grass) during the puja.

You can recite the Ganesha Moola Mantra and offer Modak, fresh fruits (Guava, Pomegranate, Orange, Apple and Pear), Bananas, Coconut, Paan and Supari to the Lord.

Pray to him with folded hands and closed eyes, seeking his divine blessings.

Sing the Ganpati Aarti to conclude the puja.

Ganpati Bappa Morya!