Sankashti Chaturthi: Date, Time, Rituals, and Significance
Sankashti Chaturthi, also called Sankatahara Chaturthi, in south Indian states, is an auspicious festival for Hindus, celebrated in honour of Lord Ganesha.
Next Sankashti Chaturthi is on Sunday, May 26, 2024
Sankashti chaturthi May, 2024 tithi timing: May 26, 6:06 pm - May 27, 4:54 pm
→ View all Sankashti chaturthi dates in 2024
Sankashti Chaturthi is observed on the chaturthi tithi (fourth day) of the Krishna Paksha of every Hindu calendar month
It is observed during every Hindu Calendar month on the ‘chaturthi’ (fourth day) of the Krishna Paksha (the waning phase of moon). Furthermore, when Sankashti Chaturthi falls on a Tuesday, it is popular as Angarki Chaturthi and is considered to be the most auspicious of all the Sankashti Chaturthi days.
The celebrations of the festival are prevalent in both northern and southern states of India. In the state of Maharashtra, the festivities are even more elaborate and grandeur. The word ‘sankashti’ has a Sanskrit origin and it implies ‘deliverance during difficult times’ whereas ‘chaturthi’ means ‘fourth day or the day of Lord Ganesha’. Therefore, on this propitious day, devotees worship Lord Ganesha to help them overcome all the obstacles in life and come out victorious in every tough situation.
Rituals of Sankashti Chaturthi:
On the day of Sankashti Chaturthi, devotees get up early and dedicate the day worshipping Lord Ganesha. They observe a strict fast in the honour of their deity. Some people can also keep a partial fast. The observer of this fast can only devour fruits, vegetables and roots of plants. The staple Indian diet on this day comprises of peanuts, potatoes and sabudana khichadi.
The Sankashti puja is done in the evening, after seeing the moon. The idol of Lord Ganesha is decorated with Durva grass and fresh flowers. A lamp is also lit during this time. Other usual puja rituals like lighting incense and reciting the Vedic mantras are also performed. After this the devotees read the ‘vrat katha’ specific to the month. The fast is broken only after worshiping Lord Ganesha in the evening and sighting of the moon.
Special ‘naivedya’ comprising of modaks and other favourite eatables of Lord Ganesha is prepared as offering. This is followed by an ‘aarti’ and later the prasad is distributed among all the devotees.
On the day of Sankashti Chaturthi, special puja rituals are also dedicated to Moon or Chandra God. This involves sprinkling water, chandan (sandalwood) paste, consecrated rice and flowers in the direction of moon.
On this day it is auspicious to recite the ‘Ganesha Ashtothra’, ‘Sankashtnashana sthothra’ and ‘Vakrathunda Mahakaya’ to name a few. In fact any other Vedic mantras dedicated to Lord Ganesha can be chanted.
Sankashti Chaturthi tithi timing May, 2024
| Chaturthi Tithi Timing | May 26, 06:06 PM - May 27, 04:54 PM |
| Place : Ujjain [ India ] See More | |
Lord Ganesha is worshiped as the God of prosperity, good fortune and freedom
Significance of Sankashti Chaturthi:
On the sacred day of Sankashti Chaturthi, there is a special significance in sighting the moon. The ardent devotees of Lord Ganesha believe that by praying to their deity with dedication, especially on the Angarki Chaturthi day, all their desires will be fulfilled and they will lead a prosperous life. Childless couples also observe the Sankashti Chaturthi vrat to be blessed with a progeny.
As Sankashti Chaturthi is observed every Lunar month, in each month God Ganesha is worshipped with different peeta (Lotus petals) and name. There are total of 13 vrats, with each vrat having a specific purpose and story, known as ‘vrat katha’. Therefore there are 13 ‘vrat katha’ in total, one for every month and the last katha is for ‘adika’ that is the one extra month that comes every four years in the Hindu calendar.
The details of Sankashti Ganapati puja for every month are given below:
| Hindu Lunar Month | Name of Lord Ganesha | Name of peeta |
|---|---|---|
| Chaitra Masa | Vikata Maha Ganapati | Vinayaka Peeta |
| Vaishaka Masa | Chanakra Raja Ekadanta Ganapati | Srichakra Peeta |
| Jeshta Masa | Krishna Pingala Maha Ganapati | Sri Shakti Ganapati Peeta |
| Ashada Masa | Gajaanana Ganapati | Vishnu Peeta |
| Shravana Masa | Heramba Maha Ganapati | Ganapati Peeta |
| Bhadrapada Masa | Vignaraja Maha Ganapati | Vigneshwara Peeta |
| Ashweeja Masa | Vakrathunda Maha Ganapati | Bhuvaneshwari Peeta |
| Karthika Masa | Ganadipa Maha Ganapati | Shiva Peeta |
| Margashira Masa | Akuratha Maha Ganapati | Durga Peeta |
| Pushya Masa | Lambodara Maha Ganapati | Soura Peeta |
| Maga Masa | Dwijapriya Maha Ganapati | Samanya deva Peeta |
| Palguna Masa | Balachandra Maha Ganapati | Agama Peeta |
| Adika Masa | Vibhuvana Palaka Maha Ganapati | Doorva Bilva Patra Peeta |
The story of each of this vrat is unique for every month and is recited in that month alone. As per the Hindu scriptures, on this holy day Lord Shiva declared the supremacy of His son, Sankashti(another name for Lord Ganesha) over other Gods, except Vishnu, Lakshmi and Parvati.
From then onwards, Lord Sankashti is worshipped as the God of prosperity, good fortune and freedom. It is believed that on the day of Sankashti Chaturthi, Lord Ganesha, for all His devotees, bestows His presence of Earth. The significance of Sankashti Chaturthi vrat is mentioned in the ‘Bhavishaya Purana’ and ‘Narasimha Purana’ and was also explained by Lord Krishna himself, to Yudhishtira, who is the eldest of all Pandavas.
All Sankashti Chaturthi dates in 2024
| January 29th Monday |
Chaturthi Tithi Timing : Jan 29, 6:11 AM - Jan 30, 8:54 AM |
| February 28th Wednesday |
Chaturthi Tithi Timing : Feb 28, 1:53 AM - Feb 29, 4:19 AM |
| March 28th Thursday |
Chaturthi Tithi Timing : Mar 28, 6:57 PM - Mar 29, 8:21 PM |
| April 27th Saturday |
Chaturthi Tithi Timing : Apr 27, 8:18 AM - Apr 28, 8:22 AM |
| May 26th Sunday |
Chaturthi Tithi Timing : May 26, 6:06 PM - May 27, 4:54 PM |
| June 25th Tuesday |
Chaturthi Tithi Timing : Jun 25, 1:23 AM - Jun 25, 11:11 PM |
| July 24th Wednesday |
Chaturthi Tithi Timing : Jul 24, 7:30 AM - Jul 25, 4:40 AM |
| August 22nd Thursday |
Chaturthi Tithi Timing : Aug 22, 1:46 PM - Aug 23, 10:39 AM |
| September 20th Friday |
Chaturthi Tithi Timing : Sep 20, 9:15 PM - Sep 21, 6:14 PM |
| October 20th Sunday |
Chaturthi Tithi Timing : Oct 20, 6:46 AM - Oct 21, 4:17 AM |
| November 18th Monday |
Chaturthi Tithi Timing : Nov 18, 6:56 PM - Nov 19, 5:28 PM |
| December 18th Wednesday |
Chaturthi Tithi Timing : Dec 18, 10:06 AM - Dec 19, 10:03 AM |