Ganesh Chaturthi Is Today: Timings and Traditions for 2026

Ganesh Chaturthi falls on Monday 14 September 2026. The Chaturthi tithi runs from 7:06am on 14 September to 7:44am on 15 September, with the midday puja muhurat from 11:02am to 1:31pm. What the festival celebrates and eco-friendly ways to mark it.

Offerings arranged for Ganesh Chaturthi puja at home. Photo: Anshika06, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

By the UISC BD Editorial Desk · United Information Service Center · Published 14 September 2026 · 4-minute read

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of India's most-searched festivals. Google Ads data shows searches for "Ganesh Chaturthi" in India reached about 550,000 in August 2026 as families prepared, and "Ganpati sthapana muhurat 2026" is among the rising searches this week.

Date and Timings

Festival date: Monday, 14 September 2026.
Chaturthi tithi begins: 7:06am, 14 September.
Chaturthi tithi ends: 7:44am, 15 September.
Madhyahna Ganesh puja muhurat: 11:02am to 1:31pm, 14 September.
Mumbai sthapana muhurat: 11:20am to 1:48pm.

Following the Udaya Tithi rule, the festival is observed on 14 September. Timings vary by city because they depend on local sunrise and location, so check a calendar for your area.

What the Festival Celebrates

Ganesh Chaturthi honours Lord Ganesha, revered as the remover of obstacles and the god of new beginnings and wisdom. Families and communities install idols at home and in public pandals, offer prayers and sweets such as modak, and gather for music and celebration.

Installing the idol during the midday (Madhyahna) period is considered most auspicious. The celebrations typically continue for several days and end with the immersion of the idol, known as visarjan.

Traditional Offerings

Modak — the sweet dumpling, often filled with coconut and jaggery, traditionally described as Ganesha's favourite.
Durva grass — offered in small bundles during puja.
Red flowers such as hibiscus, along with marigold garlands.
Fruits, coconut and incense, placed before the idol with an aarti lamp.

From Homes to Public Pandals

Ganesh Chaturthi has been celebrated in homes for centuries. In 1893, the freedom movement leader Bal Gangadhar Tilak helped turn it into a large public festival in Maharashtra, bringing people together across communities. Today, the grand public pandals of Mumbai and Pune draw visitors from all over the world.

Celebrating the Eco-Friendly Way

Choose clay idols that dissolve naturally, rather than plaster of Paris.
Use natural colours and decorations — flowers, leaves and cloth instead of plastic and thermocol.
Immerse at home or in artificial ponds set up by local authorities, to protect rivers, lakes and the sea.
Reduce noise and waste at community pandals.

A Festival of Community

Beyond the rituals, Ganesh Chaturthi is a time when neighbourhoods come together. Many community pandals also organise blood donation camps, health check-ups and charity drives, turning celebration into service.

India is also marking its national nutrition month this September — see Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 — and celebrating a cricket title in the Women's Asia Cup.

Sources

"Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 on September 14 or 15? Check date, Ganpati sthapana muhurat, puja vidhi," India TV News — indiatvnews.com
"Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: date, shubh muhurat and puja timings," Outlook India — outlookindia.com
"Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: is it on September 14 or 15?," The Sunday Guardian — sundayguardianlive.com

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Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: Date, Sthapana Muhurat and How the Festival Is Celebrated