What Ganesh Chaturthi is

The birthday of Ganesha, marked by installing clay images in homes and public pandals for up to eleven days before immersing them in water.

The public version of the festival was popularised in Maharashtra in the 1890s as a way of gathering people under colonial rule.

When it falls, and why the date moves

The countdown at the top of this page is live, and the date beneath it is the next occurrence. The date comes from a lunisolar calendar, which follows the moon but adds a leap month every few years to stay in step with the seasons. That is why it drifts earlier for two or three years and then jumps back.

It is grouped here under Hindu, alongside the other observances that share its calendar.

What is coming up next

Once this date passes, the countdown moves on according to the recurrence rule described above. Calculated lunar dates remain estimates until the relevant calendar or local authority confirms them. See the full list of upcoming events, or use the countdown timer for a duration of your own.