Dates by state
How Vinayaka Chavithi is observed
The household observance follows the same broad sequence across the Telugu states, Maharashtra and Karnataka, with real differences in the naivedyam and the day of immersion. This is the traditional order; families vary it, and many keep only part of it.
The idol
A clay idol (matti Vinayakudu). Unpainted clay dissolves in water, which is why panchayats and pollution boards ask for it over plaster of Paris.
Patri — the 21 leaves
Maachi, brihati, bilva, durva, datura, badari, apamarga, tulasi, chuta, karaveera, vishnukranta, daadimi, devadaru, maruvaka, sindhuvara, jaaji, gandaki, shami, ashvattha, arjuna, arka.
Naivedyam
Undrallu and kudumulu in the Telugu states; modak in Maharashtra. Also panakam, vadapappu, jaggery, coconut, seasonal fruit.
Puja items
Kalasham, turmeric, kumkum, akshata, incense, camphor, ghee lamp, betel leaves and nuts, a new cloth for the platform.
Prepare the place
Clean the house and set up a raised platform facing east or north, with a fresh cloth and a bed of rice.
Bathe and take the resolveSnanam · Sankalpam
Bathe, wear fresh clothes, and state the intent of the vratha with the day, place and family named.
Set the kalashamKalasha sthapana
A pot of water with mango leaves and a coconut is placed beside the idol as the seat of the waters.
Install the idolPratishthapana
Bring the clay idol to the platform and set it in place. In many homes a small turmeric Ganesha is made and worshipped first.
Invoke the presencePrana pratishtha
Invite the deity into the idol for the duration of the vratha.
The sixteen offeringsShodashopachara
Welcome, seat, water for the feet and hands, bath, cloth, sacred thread, sandal paste, flowers, incense, lamp, food, betel, circumambulation and salutation — offered in order.
Offer the twenty-one leavesEkavimsati patri puja
Each leaf is offered with one of the names of Ganesha. This is the part most particular to the Telugu observance.
Offer the foodNaivedyam
Undrallu, kudumulu or modak, with panakam and fruit, offered and then shared as prasadam.
Read the storyVratha katha
The Vinayaka Vratha Katha is read aloud, including the Shyamantaka Mani episode, and akshata is held through the reading and placed on the head at the end.
ImmersionNimajjanam · Visarjan
The idol is immersed after one and a half, three, five, seven, nine or eleven days, depending on family custom. Community idols usually go on the eleventh day.
How it differs by region
Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
Called Vinayaka Chavithi. Clay idols, the 21-leaf puja and undrallu are central. Community mandapams run for days, the Khairatabad idol in Hyderabad being the largest and drawing the biggest immersion procession.
Maharashtra
Called Ganeshotsav and kept for ten days. Modak is the offering, sarvajanik mandals organise the public pandals, and the main immersion is on Anant Chaturdashi.
Karnataka
Gauri Habba is observed the day before, with Gauri welcomed first and Ganesha installed the next morning.
Goa
Called Chavath. The matoli, a canopy of local fruit and forest produce hung above the idol, is particular to Goan homes.
Practical
- Immersion ponds are provided by many gram panchayats and municipalities. Ask at the panchayat office rather than using a drinking-water tank or a farm pond.
- Public mandapams generally need permission from the panchayat and the local police station, and a temporary electricity connection.
Common questions
Why is a clay idol asked for instead of plaster of Paris?
Unpainted clay dissolves in water within hours. Plaster of Paris does not, and the paints carry heavy metals, so idols accumulate in tanks and rivers after immersion. Most state pollution boards and many panchayats now ask for clay and provide immersion ponds.
Why is the moon not to be looked at on Chavithi night?
The Shyamantaka Mani story holds that Krishna was falsely accused of theft after seeing the moon on this night. Reading or hearing that story is the traditional remedy for anyone who does see it.
How many days is the idol kept?
One and a half, three, five, seven, nine or eleven days. It is a family custom rather than a rule; community mandapams usually keep it for eleven and immerse on Anant Chaturdashi.
What are undrallu?
Steamed dumplings of coarse rice rava, offered on Chavithi in the Telugu states. Kudumulu, made of rice flour with a jaggery and coconut filling, are offered alongside them.
The procedure above is the traditional order as set out in commonly used vratha texts. Families keep it in different measure, and observance varies by region — Vinayaka Chaturthi is not kept identically everywhere.
People often ask about Vinayaka Chaturthi
When is Vinayaka Chaturthi in 2026?
Which states celebrate Vinayaka Chaturthi?
Answers are auto-built from the village's verified record. If something is wrong, residents can correct it after claiming the village.
Dates follow official state holiday lists; lunar festivals can differ by a day between regions. Open your village page for the local jatara and a festival greeting card.