Ganesh Jayanti: Legend, Significance, Date and Puja Vidhi

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Ganesh Jayanti

Ganesh Jayanti, also best celebrated as Magha Shukla Chaturthi or Maghi Ganesh Jayanti, commemorates the birth of Lord Ganesha. Observed on Shukla Chaturthi in the month of Magha of the Hindu calendar, Ganesh Jayanti usually falls in the month of January or February of the Gregorian calendar, as opposed to Ganesh Chaturthi which is celebrated in September.

Celebrated extensively across Maharashtra and most regions of Konkan, Ganesh Jayanti is a one-day Hindu festival that brings the entire country together in praise of the Lord of Wisdom. Ganesh Jayanti 2023 is celebrated on January 25th, 2023. On the following day, on January 26th, 2023 is celebrated Basant Panchami.

Vinayaka Chaturthi or the Shukla Paksha Chaturthi is on January 25th, 2023, Wednesday and Sankashti Chaturthi is on February 9th, 2023, Thursday.

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Ganesh Jayanti is celebrated in the Magha month of the Hindu Calendar

Birth of Lord Ganesh

In Ganesha, God and Goddess attain balance with material pleasure and spiritual wisdom in harmony. It was believed, when life had always played its game of uncertainties scaling joy and sorrow, that there were primarily two ways to live life: one as a hermit who contemplates the nature of the world and the other as a householder who stays anchored to the earth fearlessly facing what life has to offer. People of the ancient times pictured the hermit as Lord Shiva, the male form of divinity, and the idea of the householder conceived as Shakti, the female form of divinity, the Goddess.

Lord Shiva did not wish to father a child and to further deal with the trials and tribulations of worldly matters while Shakti wanted a child to help all creatures realize God. Shakti anointed her body with turmeric and oil when she decided to give birth to a child on her own. As the turmeric-oil concoction dried up her skin of oil and sweat, Shakti scraped it off of her body and mold a son from the rubbings. She named him Vinayaka (vin- without, nayaka- man) without the help of a man.

She ordered her son to guard the gate and to not let anyone in. Vinayaka did just as his mother’s commands- he did not even let Shiva enter the gate. This infuriated the Lord who raised his trident and decapitated the child. An inconsolable Shakti demanded that she be given her son back, and Lord Shiva instructed his followers, the Ganas, to bring him the head of the first creature they found and encountered in the north. Shiva placed the head of an elephant brought to him on the child’s body, resurrected him, and declared him as Ganapati or Ganesha, the ruler of the Ganas. And thus was born Shiva, the father, and Ganesha, the lord of wisdom.

Ganesh Jayanti 2025 is on February 01 Saturday

9 months and 1 day to go for the event

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A Ganesh idol made of sugarcane

Lord Ganesha is symbolic of wisdom, wealth and pleasures, his head representing material joys and his human body representing spiritual bliss.

Different Versions of Birth of Lord Ganesh

• In the Varaha Purana, it is known that when Lord Shiva opened his eyes, he laughed and out of that laughter was born Lord Ganesha, who resembled a lot like his father. To distinguish the son from his father, it is said that Shakti gave Ganesha the head of an elephant, the symbol of material splendor.
• Shakti embodies two forms: as Kali, a ferocious wild goddess with an undying thirst for blood, and as Gauri, a gentle, domesticated idol of divination full of love. It is known that when Lord Shiva closes his eyes, Shakti renders the form of Kali who dances ferociously on his body determined to wake him, and when he opens his eyes, she becomes Gauri who sits on his lap and cares for him.

  In the Brihaddharma Purana, it is known that Lord Shiva tied a cloth into knots, giving it the shape of a elephant headed doll and gave it to Kali. When Kali embraced the doll against her breasts, the doll came to life, giving them Ganesha. Ganesha's arrival transformed Kali into Gauri.

• When Shiva promised Shakti to replace the head of the child, he commanded his ganas to bring the head of the first creature they encountered on their way to the north. The north has its own significance in Hindu mythology. The north is associated with everything auspicious; it is symbolic of immortality, stability and prosperity, and the south is indicative of everything opposite; it indicates death, ignorance and decay. Thus, it was from north that Lord Shiva sought the head of their child.

  In Tantra, Shiva is known as Dakshina-murti, the one who sits in the north facing south, and Shakti is known as Dakshina-kali, she who walks from the south. Together they create Ganesha.

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Legend of the birth of Lord Ganesha

Important Timings On Ganesh Jayanti 2025

Legend of the Broken Tusk

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The Legend of the Broken Tusk

Parashurama is one of the ten avatars, or incarnations, of Lord Vishnu who is known to have killed the unrighteous kings with his ax. As per to Brahmanda Purana and Brahmavaivarta Purana, towards the end of his stay on earth, it is known that Parashurama headed to mount Kailas, the heavenly abode of Shiva, to give him the blood soaked ax. Ganesha, who gate kept Mount Kailas, did not allow Parashurama to cross the gate until he introduced himself. A reluctant and an angry Parashurama swung his ax which accidentally broke one of Ganesha's tusks.

This enraged Shakti who transformed into Durga who challenged Parashurama to a duel. Parashurama, upon apologizing to Durga, succumbed to her condition to give up his ax to Ganesha to forswear the duel. Later, he became a sage and meditated on the foothills of Mount Kailas.

The Ill Luck Bound to Seeing the Moon on Ganesh Jayanti

It is said that the Moon God mocked at the idea of an elephant-faced fat God riding a rodent. Lord Ganesh, who did not appreciate the derision, cursed anyone who saw the moon on the fourth day of the waxing moon, or Shukla Chaturthi, in the sacred month of Bhadrapada suffered ill luck. Lord Ganesh was also envious when his unwonted body never attracted women to him but came so easily to the Moon God. The moon is also associated with Lord Shiva who had decapitated him and who constantly competed with him for Goddess Parvati's attention.

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The Ill Luck bound to Seeing the Moon on Shukla Chaturti

Devotees of Lord Ganesha refrain from looking at the moon on occasions that celebrate and worship him. A mantra is composed for anyone who unintentionally looks at the moon on Shukla Chaturti, when the person is expected to drink water after chanting the mantra. The mantra to cleanse one's misfortune upon looking at the inauspicious moon is as follows:

Ganesh Jayanti Puja Vidhi

• Wake up during the hour of Brahma Muhurta and start the day in prayers to Lord Ganesha.
• Freshen up, bath and wear clean clothes first thing in the morning.
• Clean and tidy the place of worship.
• Embellish the place of worship with light and flowers.
• Purify and cleanse yourself by performing Aachman and take a fast resolution.
  (The meaning of Aachman is drinking water. The small copper container and spoon used for Aachman is called Aachmani. Before pooja, the container is filled with water and added with the leaves of Tulsi, this water is considered holy. Pouring this water on the palm using the spoon and drinking it is called Aachman.)
• It is considered auspicious to wear yellow colored clothes during the Puja.

Ganesh Jayanti festival dates between 2020 & 2030

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