Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: Significance, date, puja time—all you need to know

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha is believed to bless devotees with good fortune and prosperity.

Ganesh Chaturthi celebration: With huge pandals, idols, loud music and thousands of devotees together on streets chanting “Ganpati bapa moreya,” Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the grandest festivals celebrated every year in India. The festival marks the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha, who is prayed to and remembered before beginning any new endeavour. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha is believed to bless devotees with good fortune and prosperity.

Ganesh Chaturthi date and time

The festival falls in the Shukla Paksha of the Bhadrapada month which, as per the Gregorian calendar, lies in the months of August and September. Therefore, depending on when the Shukla Paksha falls, the date of Ganesh Chaturthi changes every year. This year, the festival has come on August 22 (Saturday). According to Drik Panchang, the auspicious time for Ganesh puja is between 11:06 am and 01:42 pm tomorrow.

Significance of Ganesh Chaturthi

Hindu mythology says that Goddess Parvati had made an idol with clay and later breathed life into it. That’s how Lord Ganesha came into existence. However, this is not it. One day when Ganesha was asked to guard a cave while Goddess Parvati took bath, Lord Shiva (Parvati’s husband) arrived. Since he was instructed to not let anyone inside, Ganesha did not let Shiva in which resulted in making Shiva angry. The situation became such that Shiva ended up beheading Ganesha. This made Parvati furious that she threatened to unleash hell upon humanity. After this, Lord Shiva resuscitated Ganesha with the head of an elephant and promised that he would become the most loved god and would be worshipped above and before all gods.

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations this year

At a time when being more considerate towards the betterment of the environment is imperative, Ganpati Utsav this year is set to be celebrated with eco-friendly means. While the festival is celebrated on a rather larger scale, people have been advised to spread awareness about the novel Coronavirus outbreak. Public gatherings will be avoided and in containment zones, people are asked to immerse the idol in their home or building.