Ganesha Chaturthi is known as ‘Vinayak Chaturthi‘ or ‘Lord Vinayaka’ or ‘Vinayaka Chavithi‘, the great Ganesha festival, celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha.

 Ganesh Chaturthi is less than a week away and preparations are in full force all over Maharashtra, West Bengal, and South India. The festival creates an atmosphere of fun and colors all around. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated to remember the birth of Lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha who is considered to be superior to all Gods. It is also popularly worshipped as the God of wisdom, successfulness and good fortune, and usually prayed at the opening of any new business or at the start of travel.

Ganesh Chaturthi is best celebrated when you have lots of people around and not only your close circle of friends and family. The best possible way to ensure that would be by celebrating it in your housing society.

1.  Collecting money: To begin with, start collecting some amount from each and every family and buy a beautiful Ganesh idol. Be sure that the idol that you are going to install is eco-friendly so as to keep pollution clear during idol immersion.
2.  On the day of the puja install the idol during the Shubh, Labh or Amrit Choghadiya. If you intend to bring Ganpati Ji one day before that is on the 1st of September 2019. Ganesh Chaturthi date start- 04:56, Chaturthi date ends- 01:53 (3rd September 2019).
3.   Daily prayers and Pooja of Lord Ganesha are important parts of this festival. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated over a period of 10 days and hence after the Ganesh idol is installed (or what we know as ‘Sthapana’ in your housing society) make sure that there is a daily prayer on a specific time every day till the last day.
4.  Rangoli is an important part of this festival and this is done in the doorways. So this year instead of just decorating your own doorway do make a Rangoli near the doorway of your housing society.
5.  Feasts can be arranged for all the 10 days and groups of people from within the housing society can join hands to dish out mouth-watering delicacies for each of the 10days.
6.  Lastly, on the day of the immersion, there can be some cultural activities. People also use Gulal (Colour) to add some extra fun to this day. In case Gulal is being used then make sure to use herbal products which won’t be bad for the skin. Idol immersion causes pollution hence do try to immerse the idol only in a large drum of water instead of lakes and rivers.

 Subh Muhurta for Ganesh Puja

It should be started from 2 September 11:05 to 13:36 noon. The idol must be set just opposite the entrance. Also, make decent lighting arrangements. Once lighting has done arrange a ‘Pujari’ to perform the puja on time before moving on with the other celebrations revolving the festival.

If you intend to bring Ganpati Ji one day before that is on the 1st of September 2019. Ganesh Chaturthi date start- 04:56, Chaturthi date ends- 01:53 (3rd September 2019).

How to celebrate the Ganapati Festival at your Home?

Those who are celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi at apartment, it is very much necessary to find a suitable space to establish idol of lord Ganesha and for that northeast corner of the home is most appropriate as it brings happiness so keep it clean and peaceful. Clean the home and to purify it sprinkle water in all corners and rooms of the home a day before the festival begins especially to the area where you going to place the idol.

 List out materials and things needed for the same. Select the theme that can be held in your home. If you have some themes in your mind like Lotus Theme, Fruits theme, Curtain theme. Do a sketch and see how the theme can be made like it is.

 Organize Localized Immersion Spots:

As an alternative of having groups of people from the housing society immersing idols all over the city, the housing society management should organize a local area where the residents can gather in mass, celebrate and complete the festivities. The management can arrange a small water tank built within the compound to be used for this purpose.

 Prepare Homemade Sweets:

Sweets are the main part of this festival. You can take some initiative and encourage all families to make sweets at home. You can do this during the society meetings. This will not only benefit them save on money and resources but also ensures less wastage. Such sweets are healthier and also bring the housing society residents closer during the festival. You can also distribute the homemade sweets to your dear and near one.

 Top 5 Tips for decorating home, mandap and it’s surrounding areas:

1. Lights can add a magical effect to your Ganpati decoration. Use LED lights, rice lights or string lights that are easily available in the market or electronic shops before the arrival of the festival.
2.  You can also light up the room or the mandap where Lord Ganesha will be kept by using Diya, Candles, and lights.
3.  Decorate the walls of pooja place or mandap particularly behind the idol with garlands, crowns, colorful ornamentation, and balloons. You can also use paper made garlands or hang bright color curtains, dupattas or sarees to liven up the place.
4.  No Poojas are performed without Flowers and Fruits. However, you can also decorate the mandap with the placement, colors, and size of flowers or fruit. These items play an important role in attempting beauty to your decoration.
5.  Most Indian festival decoration ideas cover the making of rangoli at the doorway of the home or pooja room or in front of the holy place of Lord Vinayaka where it is established! You can design a rangoli, by using flowers or colors.

 Enjoy safe Ganesh Chaturthi without harming the environment?

Traditionally, clay was used to make Ganesh idols across India. However, throughout the years, plaster of Paris (POP), which is having little weight and cheaper in cost, has become the preferred material to shape these idols. POP holds chemicals such as gypsum, sulfur, phosphorus, and magnesium. The immersion of idols made from non-biodegradable or toxic materials has the following effect:

 With the immersion of these idols in the sea, rivers, ponds, lakes, and streams, it releases harmful components The chemicals in these idols dissolve easily in the water and its toxic waste kills plants and animal’s life. POP (Plaster of Paris) dissolves slowly but gradually releasing its toxic components. As a result, the water encounters a rise in acidity as well as to detect heavy metal.

 Go Eco-friendly

This Ganesha Chaturthi season lets go green. Opt for Eco-friendly Ganesha Idols. Many options are available in the market. One of the best ones is to use mud-based Ganesha and decorate him as you want. At the end of the festival, it is a very refreshing and proud feeling with no-fault of polluting our water bodies. Use that mud later for your Home Garden for planting trees and plants.