Ganesh Chaturthi 2019: Dates, schedules and all you should know

The different avatars of Andheri Cha Raja

Ganesh Chaturthi, the city's favourite festival is just a month away. With idol makers putting up the best of their works on display to be booked to people preparing their pandals, the festival instantly puts Mumbaikars in a celebratory mood. When one thinks about the things to do during Ganesh Chaturthi, one would have a list already put up in place; dressing their best and visiting the famous pandals within the city, gorging on modaks, karanjis and sweets, meeting friends and family, listening to melodious Ganesh aartis during the puja and so on. The festive atmosphere the ten-day festival brings to the city fills the air with excitement.

Joyful welcome

This year the festival falls on September 2, 2019. The day marks the beginning of a 10-day fasting period where devotees wake up early, take bath and wear fresh clothes. They then welcome Lord Ganesha by worshipping the idol and offering naivedyam (food and sweets) to the deity. As Lord Ganesha is known to be symbolic of auspicious beginnings, the day is considered auspicious to welcome the deity to their homes and to start new ventures.

Also Read: Mumbai festival: Height no barrier for Ganesha this year

With schools shut for the occasion, housing societies across the city organise an array of competitions for children and cultural programmes for the residents throughout the days of the festival. They coincide with the puja, as a part of the celebrations. Such activities add to the festive cheer of the occasion.

Bidding adieu

The visarjan (immersing the idol) is the time when devotees have to bid adieu to their favourite deity with a heavy heart but with festive cheer. It is that time of the festival when chants of "Ganpati Bappa Morya, pudhcya varshi laukar yaa" (come soon next year) fill the air amidst the energetic beats by the dhol pathaks. As a majority of pandals and many devotees are seen immersing the idols in the nearby beaches, some immerse the idols in artificial ponds. The city sees a rush of devotees making last-minute visits to the pandals, to see their deity one last time before being immersed into a water body.

The dates of the Ganesh Visarjan 2019 are as follows:
One and a half day: September 3, 2019
3rd day: September 4, 2019
5th day: September 6, 2019
7th day: September 8, 2019
11th day: September 12, 2019

All about Goddess Gauri

Gauri Avahan or Gauri Pujan is observed on September 5 this year. On this day, the women of the house welcome the deity and worship the idol. The idol is adorned with a sari and ornaments such as mangalsutra and toe rings and the altar is decorated with mango leaves. As the colour green is symbolic of fertility, the women of the house wear green saris. The deity is placed beside Lord Ganesha's idol for three days and is to be immersed together on the 7th day of the festival. Gauri visarjan this will be observed on September 7 this year.

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