How To Celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi At Home – Ganesh Chaturthi Puja At Home

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how to celebrate ganesh chaturthi at home

I wanted to make a post on How to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at home in Tamil nadu style during last year itself. So I had clicked pictures of our Ganesh chaturthi pooja procedure / Puja Vidhanam and kept in draft. In this post, I have shared how to perform a simple Ganesh chaturthi pooja at home, festival date, things required for pooja and Vinayagar/Ganesha abishekam items list and its benefits, pooja procedure, Ganesh chaturthi neivedyam/prasadam recipes like Kozhukattai varieties and appam recipes with links.

Please check THIS POST for complete Ganesh chaturthi Pooja vidhanam/Puja vidhi with sloka and mantras in PDF format. I have also shared a short video on how to make an eco friendly Ganesha idol using kozhukattai maavu/modak dough. Hope you find these ideas useful.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: This year 2026, Vinayagar Chaturthi festival falls on September 14th, Monday as per panchangam. Time to perform pooja – Auspicious time of the day as per the calender ( Nalla neram). Avoid Rahu Kalam and Yama Kandam. Usually we do the pooja in the afternoon. i.e after 12 noon based on the day.

In this post

Ganesha is the Lord who is first worshipped before any holy occasion or puja. Ganesh Chaturthi also known as ‘Vinayak Chaturthi’ or ‘Vinayaka Chavithi’ is celebrated by Hindus all around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha. It is observed during the Hindu month of Bhadra in Hindi /Avani in Tamil (mid-August to mid-September). He is revered as the preserver of all good things and prevents Vigna (meaning obstruction/bad omen). His motto is Shubh-Laabh (good prospect and good prosperity).

Generally Ganesh Chaturthi preparations commence from almost a month before the festival. The celebrations last for around ten days (from Bhadrapad Shudh Chaturthi to Ananta Chaturdashi). On the 11th day, the idol is taken through the streets in a procession and immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes of all the people.

At home, Ganesha pooja starts from bringing or making a clay idol of Lord Ganesha. Various special food items are cooked for offering/Neivedyam (bhog). Although there are a large number of sweets offered to Lord Ganesha during the pooja, Modak is known to be the lord`s favorite sweet and is therefore one of the main dishes made on this day. Other dishes include Karanji, laddu, barfi, peda, vada, sundal and appam.

The idol is given a bath(Abishek) with scented water and then decorated with flowers. Jyoti is lit and then the aarti begins. People read Ganesh Chaturthi story after pooja. Various bhajans and mantras are chanted at this time. It is believed that chanting the mantras with complete devotion brings life to the idol. It is also believed that during this period, Ganesha visits the home of his devotees and bring prosperity and good fortune with him.  He removes all the obstacles that you experience on the spiritual path. Along with Ganesha, Gouri idol is also placed in South Indian families and worshipped. Gouri Vrata is performed as “Mangala Gauri” by women for good life and prosperity.

Source: Hinduism.org and Yahoo.com

Let me share our celebration procedures with list of items for abishekam, Pooja and neivedyam. Hope you all find it useful. Please consult with your mom or mil and do the pooja accordingly.

I have also shared the audio links in Tamil, Telugu for Ganesh chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam. I have also shared a youtube video link for Ganesh chaturthi Pooja vidhi in Hindi. Please refer the end of  “How to do Pooja” section for the links.

Click this Video on how to make Homemade Ganesh using Kozhukattai dough.

Visit my in-laws blog for Ganesh Chaturthi Kolam/Rangoli ideas

Here is the video on making Ganesha idol using kozhukattai maavu/Modak dough.

How to Prepare for Ganesh Chaturthi at Home

Generally Ganesh Chaturthi preparations commence almost a month before the festival. At home, Ganesha pooja starts with bringing or making a clay idol of Lord Ganesha. The idol is decorated with flowers and offered special food items as neivedyam.

In our home, we prepare kozhukattai, sundal, vada, appam and a simple South Indian lunch. Please choose the dishes according to your family practice and the time available.

  • Clean the pooja space and keep a peeta or wooden plank ready.
  • Keep the flowers, arugampul, lamps, fruits and decorations ready.
  • Prepare pooranam in advance if you are making kozhukattai.
  • Soak chana dal for sundal and urad dal for vada.
  • Keep the banana leaf and serving vessels ready for neivedyam.
How to celebrate Ganesh chaturthi at home
 

Ganesh Chaturthi Pooja and Neivedyam Items

Ingredients list for Ganesh chaturthi pooja and neivedyam

For Abhishekam and Pooja

  • Ganesh idol
  • Flowers
  • Milk
  • Curd
  • Honey
  • Tender coconut water
  • Water
  • Rice flour
  • Sesame oil
  • Turmeric powder
  • Shikakai powder
  • Kumkum, Sandal paste
  • Panchamirtham (Sweet delicacy consisting of Panch(5) items: Milk, Sugar, Ghee (clarified butter), Honey, Bananas.
Ganesh chaturthi pooja at home

For Ganesha Decoration and pooja

  • Vastram for Ganesha ( New blouse bit or dhoti cloth)
  • Mupiri nool for poonool ( 3 threaded string)
  • ArugamPul (Bermuda grass (English). Arugampul (Tamil). Dhub (Hindi). Durva (Sanskrit). Karuka (Malayalam). Garikagoddi (Telugu). Garikoihallu (Kannada))
  • Vellerukku Malai ( refer the above picture)
  • Tulsi can be used for decoration but its allowed only on this festival day.
  • Flowers
  • Kumkum and Sandal powder
  • Incense stick
  • Camphor
  • Sesame oil and ghee for lamp
  • All Fruits, coconut, betel leaves & betel nut for offering
  • Banana leaf
  • Turmeric powder for manjal pillayar

Ganesh chaturthi Neivedyam recipes

  • Coconut
  • Jaggery
  • Chana dal/Moong dal
  • Sugar
  • Besan
  • Urad dal
  • Green chillies, ginger, salt ( for pooran)
  • Raw rice for payasam
  • Urad dal for vada
  • Wheat flour,banana & jaggery for appam
  • Sesame seeds for ellu urundai
  • Click HERE to see the no onion no garlic lunch menu cooking with ingredients
how to celebrate ganesh chaturthi at home

What to Prepare the Previous Day

On the previous day morning, make pooran and laddu( if making). Store in a box. On the same day night, wash all the lamps, put the thread, oil & keep it ready for pooja. Soak chana for sundal & urad dal for vada.

Generally we do the neivedyam in the noon or during the auspicious time of chaturthi day. Usually it happens in the afternoon. We also make full meals like rice, sambar, poriyal, thayir pachadi on that day. So we prepare the lunch recipes, vada, kozhukattai recipes and sundal on chaturthi morning. Start cooking around 8 am in the morning. You can finish everything by 11am.

 If you keep the pooranam ready, you can make 21 kozhukattai in 30-45 minutes. In that 45 minutes, you can pressure cook dal for sambar. Inside the cooker, keep a tiffin box with the chopped vegetables for poriyal or kootu. Prepare the rice in another cooker. By this time, you can make kozhukattai and steam it. Make Dal, sambar, poriyal, pachadi and keep them ready for neivedyam. Click HERE to see how to cook a no onion no garlic lunch menu easily.

how to celebrate ganesh chaturthi

 

Simple Ganesh Chaturthi Pooja at Home

Abishekam Procedure

Before starting abhishekam, draw a rangoli using rice flour paste or maakolam at the entrance and in the place where you are going to perform the pooja. Abishekam is optional. If you have the practice in family, you can do it. Take all the abhishekam items in a plate. Keep a bowl full of water, flowers, incense and camphor ready.

  1. Place the Ganesha idol on the peeta or wooden plank.
  2. Light the lamp and incense.
  3. Offer flowers, arugampul, fruits and coconut.
  4. Perform a simple abhishekam according to your family practice.
  5. Decorate the idol with cloth, poonool, flowers and arugampul.
  6. Place the neivedyam on a banana leaf or plate.
  7. Chant your family prayers and perform mangala aarti.

In our home, we start the abhishekam with sesame oil and shikakai powder, followed by turmeric powder, rice flour mixed with water, milk, lemon juice, tender coconut water, curd, panchamirtham and honey. We then pour a little water and continue with sandal paste, kumkum and vibhooti abhishekam, finishing with a little milk. Collect the abhishekam water and pour it into a tulsi plant or under a tree.

If you are using a Ganesha made from turmeric, soft clay or kozhukattai dough, pour the abhishekam items only with a spoon; otherwise the idol may dissolve in water. Touch the idol carefully with support and do not pour too much water. Ganesh idol should not fall down during abhishekam. So do not pour more water and touch the idol carefully with support.

After abhishekam & decoration, start doing the pooja.
You can chant this Ganesha Gayathri mantram while doing Abhishekam.
“Om Tatpurushaya Vidmahe Vakratundaya dheemahi, Tanno Danti Prachodayat”
how to celebrate ganesh chaturthi
For the complete Ganesh Chaturthi pooja procedure, Kalasha setup, Tamil slokas and mantras, please read my Ganesh Chaturthi Pooja Procedure with Mantras.
 

Ganesh Chaturthi Neivedyam Menu

 
Ganesh chaturthi celebration at homePlease check THIS POST for complete Ganesh chaturthi Pooja vidhanam/Puja vidhi with slokhas in PDF format. 

Take the decorated Ganesh and place it over peeta/Wooden plank. Light the lamp on the sides of Ganesha. Keep a small turmeric Ganesha( made of turmeric powder mixed with little water) nearby the idol. Keep kumkum & flowers. Place a plate with 5 types of fruits, coconut, betel leaves & nuts in front of the God.

In another plate or banana leaf, spread the nevideyam recipes. Kozhukattai varieties comes to the left side of Ganesha. Rice and other items has to be kept in the usual order. Refer picture for the idea. Keep payasam and aval. Pori kadalai/Puffed rice with peanuts in small bowls. Chant Ganesha ashtothram and do the archanai. Then show the dhoop & dheep. Finally do the mangala aarti. Finish the pooja. For the full recipe collection, see my South Indian Ganesh Chaturthi recipes.

Some people have the practice of keeping Kalash and do the pooja. So I have made a separate post about “Pooja Vidhanam/Puja Vidhi” with mantras in PDF format. You can download it and use if interested. Please check THIS POST.
On Chaturthi evening, make wheat flour appam and do the neivedyam. The next day morning, you can keep idli for neivedyam or simply fruits would do. On afternoon, keep dal & rice with ghee for neivedyam. Continue this neivedyam till Ganesha stays in your house.

Ganesha Visarjan

The next day or the third day, take the ganesha idol along with flowers & vastram, some puffed rice, jaggery and fried gram dal (Do not remove anything from idol) and put it in water. Let the Ganesh idol dissolve in water and take away all the misfortunes of people.

AUDIO, VIDEO LINKS

  1. Click this LINK for Pooja Vidhanam Video, Audio in Telugu
  2. Check this LINK , LINK for Pooja Vidhanam Audio in Tamil
  3. For Hindi version,check this youtube video LINK

Ganesh Chaturthi Neivedyam Recipes

 
Easy sweet pooran kozhuakattai
Moong dal pooran kozhukattai
Ammini kozhukattai
3 kozhukattai varieties
Easy paal kozhukkattai
Easy Urad dal pooran kozhukattai
Sweet appam recipe
Paal kozhukattai with jagggery
Sweet samosa / Karjikai recipe
Please click here for full collection of neivedyam recipes. This LINK for Kozhukattai making Videos & Homemade Ganesh idol using rice flour dough.
Disclaimer : I have shared the procedures based on our tradition. Please take the as a reference,consult the elders of your family and do the pooja as per your practice. Beginners can follow this if you don’t have any specific procedure at home.
Hope you find this post useful. Wish you all a very happy Ganesh Chaturthi !
Thanks for visiting this page!!

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34 thoughts on “How To Celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi At Home – Ganesh Chaturthi Puja At Home”

  4. priya

    Hi chitra ,
    Recently came to see ur blog… u have more patience to type all with procedures.I m pregnant ur millet recipes helps me lot now my mom too follows those recipe and my neighbours too ..all appreciates ur recipes and those credits goes to you ..thank you so much ..this post helps me a lot like ur varalakshmi procedures..thanks again from my family n neighbours :)

    Reply
  5. stalin.R

    this is stalin.R. thank u for such a brief pooja procedure. we are beginners of this kind of pooja. did successfully krishna jayanthi pooja the same as how u prescribed. now its time for ganapathy pooja as well. i asked my amma to do the same manner as given by you. thank u once again

    Reply
  14. Unknown

    Hi sir , this is my 1st pooja at home in Dubai, by God grace I can arrange list of items mentioned in ur information. Please give me ur contact. natarajjy@gmail.
    Thanks
    Nataraj

    Reply
  15. vinod kumar.P.B

    Happy Ganesh Chaturthi.
    Thank you so much for providing so many details and for your valuable time.
    I have brought all the mentioned item for Pooja.
    Really it is amazing and superb information.

    Regards,
    Vinod

    Reply
  16. vinod kumar.P.B

    Happy Ganesh Chaturthi.
    Thank you so much for providing so many details and for your valuable time.
    I have brought all the mentioned item for Pooja.
    Really it is amazing and superb information.

    Regards,
    Vinod

    Reply
  17. vinod kumar.P.B

    Happy Ganesh Chaturthi.
    Thank you so much for providing so many details and for your valuable time.
    I have brought all the mentioned item for Pooja.
    Really it is amazing and superb information.

    Regards,
    Vinod

    Reply
  18. Unknown

    Nice blog.Thank you for sharing your great information with us. Ganesh Chaturthi also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi. It is one of the popular Hindu Festival celebrated in India. This year it falls on 25th August ,2017. Worshipping Lord Ganesha on the auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi to get rid of your bad karma. He uplifts the devotees to great heights and finds solutions to all problems. He also bestows the devotees with success in life. To Know More Details Click Here

    Reply
  21. sue2006

    Bless you dear. I was looking for proper guidelines on how to perform the prayers this year. Thank you so much for your detailed description.

    Reply
  22. Nanthini

    went through this post for my first pillayar chaturthi alone. at my house they usually buy the mud pillayar big size wont it dissolve if i do the abisheka? i have never seen anyone do abisheka for the idol. my mom used to keep a smallar bronze pillayar which is alwsys at home and do abishek for that. is it ok to do like that? and while taking the idol out to put in water should i take the umbrella too with it?

    Reply
    1. Chitra

      Hi, we pour less water on the idol while abhishekam. As you said, you can follow your mom by doing abhishekam for bronze idol. I usually leave the umbrella too. It's your wish 😊

      Reply
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