2018 Ganesh Chaturthi Date and Puja Timings

In India, the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in all parts of the country with utmost joy, fervour and zeal. This is the auspicious day of the birth of Lord Ganesh, a Hindu god who is known to be negating all the troubles, obstacles and sorrows from our lives. The day of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated to celebrate the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesh, who is a symbol of wisdom, intellect, prosperity and great fortune. According to Hindu scriptures, it is said and believed that lord Ganesh was born in the Shukla paksha of the Bhadrapatha month. Currently, if we go as per the English calendar, Ganesh Chaturthi generally falls in the month of either August or September.

Prior to the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, there is a 10 day long festivity that is celebrated and the ten days are often referred as “Ganeshotav”. The ending of the 10th day is commonly called as “Anant Chaturdashi” which is also known as the “Visarjan” day. It is on the day of Anant chaturshi, the devotees of lord Ganesh immerse the beautiful grand idols of lord Ganesh in a river or a water body, mostly after a gala street celebration and procession. This year the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi 2018 is falling on 12th September 2018.

The Ganpati Puja Mahurat and Ganapati Sthapana Timings:

The Ganapati Pooja or the Ganesh Pooja is always preferred to be done during Madhyana, for it is believed and said that Lord Ganesh happened to be born in the Madhyana kaal only. As per the division of Hindu day timings, the Madhyana is known to be the time of midday.

According to the Hindu sacred and religious time keeping, the whole day is divided into five equal parts, starting from the sunrise to the sunset. These five time parts of the day are commonly known as Prathakala, the Sangava, Madhyana, Aparanha and the last as Sayankaal.

The most appropriate and the auspicious time for Ganapati Puja and Ganapati Sthapana in the Hindu ritual timings is considered to be the “Madhyana kaal”.

It is during the midday that is the madhyana kaal, that the devotees of Lord Ganesh perform the sacred rituals and associated Pooja for the Ganapati Sthapana, which is called as “Shadoshopachara Ganapati Puja”.

Moon sighting is prohibited on the Ganesh Chaturthi:

According to our Hindu scriptures and rituals, it is believed and said that one should not sight the moon on the auspicious day of Ganesh Chahuturthi, as doing so will result in “Mithya Kalank” or “Mithya dosham” which is an indication of false accusation of stealing something.

This came from our ancient scriptures or puranic legends in which it is said that lord Krishna was falsely got accused for stealing a precious jewel named ‘Symantaka’. After hearing plights and concerns of the lord Krishna, the sage Narada informed all that lord Krishna had sighted the moon on the night of Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi and it is because of this fact, he got cursed with the mithya kalanka.

Further on this, sage Narada informed lord Krishna that the lord of Moon is being cursed by lord Ganesh that anyone who will see the moon of the Bhadrapada month on the Shukla paksha will be accused and cursed with “Mithya dosham & Mithya Kalanka” and along with it will be dishonoured and tainted in the society. It is then on the advice of sage Narada, lord Krishna observed fast on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi to get rid of the false accusations and claims on him of stealing the jewel.

The Mantra of Mithya Dosha Prevention:

Each year and time at the beginning and ending of the puja of Ganesh Chaturthi tithi, sighting and seeing moon is generally taken as prohibited for the two consecutive days. According to our Hindu scriptures and experts & astrologers, it is said and believed that one should restrain from sighting the moon, especially on the night of Shukla paksha of Bhadrapada month to avoid getting as falsely accused of stealing something in the mithya kalank.

However, if anyone has mistakenly and unknowingly seen the moon on the night of Ganesh Chaturthi, recting the following mantra 108 times will help to get rid of the curse of Mithya kalanka and Dosha:

Simhah Prasenamavadhitsimho Jambavata Hatah।

Sukumaraka Marodistava Hyesha Syamantakah॥