Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: Dates, Puja Muhurat, Modak Recipes and How Braj Celebrates

Key takeaways

• Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 is on Monday, September 14, 2026.

• The Madhyahna puja muhurat for Sthapana is 11:02 AM to 1:31 PM.

• The ten-day festival ends with Ganesh Visarjan on Friday, September 25, 2026.

• Durva grass and modak are the most beloved offerings to Ganesha.

• In Braj it is marked with abhishek and phool bangla, not big processions.

• The Mota Ganesh Mandir near Banke Bihari holds the most special Braj celebration.

I am Gurudutt, born in Gokul in the Mathura district, guiding pilgrims through Braj since 2018, more than 50,000 of them. Ganesha is invoked before every new beginning, and his birthday is one of the most joyful days of the year. Here is everything you need for Ganesh Chaturthi 2026, told by someone from this soil: the dates and muhurat, the significance, the full puja vidhi and samagri, two modak recipes, and where and how it is celebrated in Braj.

To plan a Ganesh Chaturthi darshan trip in Braj, call or WhatsApp +91 7302265809.

Plan your visit with our Mathura Vrindavan tour packages.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: dates and muhurat

Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 is on Monday, September 14, and the festival runs for ten days to Anant Chaturdashi. The table gives the full schedule.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 schedule. Muhurat timings are for the general region; reconfirm for your city.

The Chaturthi tithi begins on September 14, 2026 at 7:06 AM and ends on September 15, 2026 at 7:44 AM; the Sthapana and main puja are done in the Madhyahna, the midday window above. You can see the wider Braj festival calendar in our Braj festivals guide.

The significance of Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi marks the birth of Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, worshipped as Vighnaharta, the remover of obstacles, and as the lord of wisdom and beginnings. It is why he is invoked first in every worship and before every new undertaking. For ten days, from the Sthapana on Chaturthi to the Visarjan on Anant Chaturdashi, the Lord is welcomed as an honoured guest into homes and pandals, worshipped daily, and then lovingly sent off to return again next year.

An old custom warns against looking at the moon on the night of Ganesh Chaturthi, for by tradition it brings the Mithya Dosh, a false accusation. The story is that Krishna himself, having seen the moon on this night, was falsely accused of stealing the Syamantaka jewel and had to clear his name; so devotees avoid the moon on Chaturthi, and if it is seen by chance, recite a prayer to be spared its effect. It is one of the many threads that tie Ganesha's festival to the Krishna of Braj.

Ganesh Chaturthi puja samagri list

Keeping the samagri ready in advance makes the puja smooth. Here is the full list for the Sthapana and worship:

• Ganesh idol: a clay (shadu) idol is best, for eco-friendly home immersion.

• Chowki and red cloth: a small wooden platform for the idol, covered with a red cloth.

• Durva grass: fresh Bermuda grass, ideally 21 blades, the most beloved offering.

• Flowers: red hibiscus, the most preferred, and marigolds.

• Kalash: a copper or brass pot of water, with 5 mango leaves and a coconut on top.

• Haldi, kumkum and akshat: turmeric, vermilion, and unbroken rice mixed with a little turmeric.

• Janeu and chandan: a sacred thread for the idol's left shoulder, and sandalwood paste.

• Panchamrit: a mix of milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar for the abhishek.

• Deep, incense and camphor: a ghee lamp, agarbatti, and kapoor for the final aarti.

• Betel, fruits and modak: 5 betel leaves and supari, 5 fruits with bananas, and 21 modaks for the naivedya.

Ganesh Chaturthi puja vidhi, step by step

1. The home puja follows a simple, beautiful order. Do the main Sthapana within the midday muhurat.

2. Clean the space, place the chowki with the red cloth, and set the water-filled kalash with mango leaves and coconut beside it.

3. Take a sankalp, a vow of worship, invoke Ganesha with the mantra, then install the idol in the muhurat, the Prana Pratishtha.

4. Offer the sixteen upacharas: bathe the idol with panchamrit and water, dress it, place the janeu, and apply chandan, haldi, kumkum and akshat.

5. Offer the durva grass, hibiscus and marigold flowers, incense and the ghee lamp, with the names and mantras of Ganesha.

6. Offer the naivedya, the modaks and fruits, perform the aarti with camphor, and end with pushpanjali and pradakshina.

7. Worship the Lord daily through the festival, and on the final day do the Visarjan with love and prayers for his return.

Modak recipes: Ganesha's favourite sweet

No Ganesh Chaturthi is complete without modak, the sweet dumpling the Lord loves best, offered in 21s. Here are two ways to make them, the classic steamed and the quick fried.

Ukadiche Modak (classic steamed)

Dough: 1 cup rice flour, 1.25 cups water, 1 tsp ghee, a pinch of salt.

Filling: 1 cup fresh grated coconut, 1/2 cup grated jaggery, 1/2 tsp cardamom, 1 tbsp poppy seeds (optional).

1. Make the filling: heat 1 tsp ghee, add poppy seeds, then coconut and jaggery; cook on low until the jaggery melts and it thickens, add cardamom, and cool.

2. Make the dough: boil the water with salt and ghee, lower the heat, add the rice flour and stir quickly. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, then rest for 5 minutes.

3. Knead the warm dough into a soft, smooth ball, wetting your palms if it sticks.

4. Shape a lemon-sized ball into a thin cup, add a spoon of filling, pinch the edges into pleats and seal at the top.

5. Steam for 10 to 12 minutes on a greased or leaf-lined plate, and drizzle with warm ghee before offering.

Fried Modak (quick version)

Dough: 1 cup wheat flour (atta), water, a pinch of salt. The filling is the same as above.

1. Make a stiff dough, like puri dough, with the wheat flour, water and salt.

2. Roll small circles, stuff with the coconut-jaggery filling, and seal them well.

3. Deep fry in ghee or oil on medium heat until golden brown, and cool before offering.

Ganesh Chaturthi in Mathura and Vrindavan

Braj keeps Ganesh Chaturthi in its own spiritual way, with the focus on abhishek and phool bangla, the beautiful flower decoration of the deity, rather than the huge processions of the west. In Vrindavan, the most special celebration is at the Mota Ganesh Mandir in the Athkhamba area near the Banke Bihari temple, where a self-manifested idol draws great crowds for a special Sindoor Abhishek on Chaturthi. In Mathura, the ancient Dashbhuji Ganesh temple in Choubey Para near the Yamuna, and the Siddhivinayak temple near Deeg Gate, hold special pujas; both sit among the great Krishna shrines of the Dwarkadhish temple and the Krishna Janmabhoomi. There is an ancient Ganesh temple near the bus stand in Gokul too. A lovely local custom is to offer laddus alongside modaks, for the sweets of Braj are woven into every celebration here.

Ganesh Visarjan 2026

The festival ends with Ganesh Visarjan on Friday, September 25, 2026, on Anant Chaturdashi, when the idol is carried out with singing and immersed in water, sending the Lord off with the prayer Ganpati Bappa Morya, come again soon. Please choose a clay idol and, at home, immerse it in a bucket or tank and use the clay in your garden, to keep the rivers clean; in Braj, those who immerse in the Yamuna do so with the same care, at ghats such as Vishram Ghat. Not everyone keeps the idol the full ten days; many do the visarjan after 1.5, 3, 5 or 7 days, all of which are traditional.

Tips for celebrating

• Do the Sthapana within the midday muhurat, 11:02 AM to 1:31 PM.

• Choose a clay idol and plan an eco-friendly visarjan.

• Keep 21 fresh durva blades and 21 modaks ready for the offering.

• Avoid looking at the moon on Chaturthi night, by tradition.

• For temple darshan in Braj, go early, especially to Mota Ganesh for the Sindoor Abhishek.

The honest bit

Honest words on Ganesh Chaturthi in Braj, from one born here. Do not expect the giant pandals and processions of Mumbai or Pune; Braj keeps the festival quietly and beautifully, in the temples and homes, with abhishek and flowers, and that is its own charm. The muhurat given here is for the general region, so if you are far away, reconfirm your city's timing. Please celebrate green: a clay idol and a home or tank immersion honour both the Lord and the Yamuna. Temple darshan is free, and there is no VIP pass. If you wish to visit Braj for the festival, September is pleasant after the monsoon; see our Mathura Vrindavan hotels and our guide on where to stay in Vrindavan. Celebrate with love, and Ganesha removes every obstacle from your path.

Why Experience My India is the right choice

I was born in Gokul in the Mathura district, and I know the temples and festival days of Braj as my own. Guiding since 2018, more than 50,000 pilgrims, 4.5 stars across 204 Google reviews, WhatsApp first, 8 AM to 9 PM daily. If you come to Braj for Ganesh Chaturthi, we bring the car to the right temple gates and the darshans in the right order, from Mota Ganesh to the Krishna shrines, timed to the abhishek and around the crowds, with honest guidance and no touts. One clear fare, and never a charge for free darshan. To plan your days, see our guide on how to plan a Mathura and Vrindavan trip.

Tip from Gurudutt: if you can, come to Vrindavan on the morning of Chaturthi for the Sindoor Abhishek at the Mota Ganesh Mandir near Banke Bihari, the most beautiful Ganesh darshan in Braj, then flow into Banke Bihari and the old town. Offer durva and a modak, and, in the Braj way, a laddu too. Begin the ten days with Vighnaharta's blessing in the land of Krishna, and the whole year feels lighter.

Related guides

• Gopeshwar Mahadev, Vrindavan: the temple of Ganesha's father, Shiva

• Bhuteshwar Mahadev, Mathura: a guardian Shiva of Braj

• Chaurasi Khamba, Mahavan: Nanda's ancient house near Gokul

• Places to visit in Mathura and Vrindavan: the complete list

• Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul and Barsana map: how Braj fits together

Plan your Ganesh Chaturthi visit to Braj

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