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In 2567, Ganesh Chaturthi will begin on September 7, 2567, coinciding with the birthday of Lord Ganesha, which falls on the 4th day of the 9th month and the 4th day of the 10th month in the Hindu lunar calendar. This date changes each year but typically falls between August and October. The festival will run from September 7 to September 17, 2567, and is a grand celebration in honor of Lord Ganesha, as believed by Hindus.
A significant ritual of Ganesh Chaturthi involves creating clay idols of Lord Ganesha, which are placed in homes, buildings, organizations, or public spaces. Prayers and chants are performed, along with music, as the idols are taken to water sources like rivers or seas. The idol is then immersed or dissolved in the water, symbolizing Lord Ganesha’s return to Mount Kailash.
In our home-based rituals, the idol of Lord Ganesha is carried to a designated area for prayers, followed by an ablution ceremony. The process is simple and can be performed by anyone. One important rule is that the Ganesha idol used in the ceremony should not be the one that is worshipped daily. Why is this the case?
Prohibitions on Ganesh Chaturthi
It is advised not to use the idol of Lord Ganesha that we worship daily for the Ganesh Chaturthi ceremony. The belief behind this prohibition is that using a new idol allows us to take the idol to the Visarjan ceremony (the immersion ritual, which is believed to restore energy to the idol). After this ritual, the idol should not be worshipped again.
However, if you choose to use the idol that you regularly worship, it is possible to do so. After completing the ceremony, you may return the idol to its original place of worship and continue to honor it as before. This applies to those who have chosen to use their daily worship idol for the ritual.
