Festival · Magha Shukla Chaturthi
Ganesh Jayanti 2026
Magha Shukla Chaturthi, Ganesha's birthday. Today it's a sesame bath, sesame for the naivedya, and the crowds at Morgaon.
Date, tithi and timing
Times are for Pune. The app gives times for your city.
Date and time in every city
Next year, 2027
Quick facts
- Also known asTilkund Chaturthi, Varad Chaturthi, Maghi Ganesh Jayanti
- WhereMaharashtra, Goa and the Konkan; Tilo Chauth in Uttar Pradesh
- Puja forGanesha
- In one lineGanesha's birthday in one tradition: sesame offerings, a daytime fast, and crowds at the Ashtavinayak temples.
Ganesh Jayanti, in a little more detail
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About the festival
The Shukla Chaturthi of Magha is Ganesh Jayanti, Ganesha's birthday in one tradition. Ganesh Chaturthi in Bhadrapada is the big festival in every home; the Magha one is quieter and lives in the temples.
It's still cold, so sesame is everywhere today: a bath after rubbing in sesame paste, sesame ladoos for the naivedya and for prasad. People fast through the day and eat at night.
Ganesha is the god of beginnings: every task starts with his name. Once a year you celebrate his own birthday, and ask his blessing for what you're about to begin: that's the meaning of the day.
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Mayureshwar, the lord on the peacock
A demon called Sindhu had been given a bowl of amrita by the Sun. To keep it safe he swallowed it, became unbeatable, and began to torment everyone.
To end him, Ganesha was born to Shiva and Parvati as Mayureshwar: six-armed, fair, and riding a peacock. He routed Sindhu's army, cut his general Kamalasur into three, and split Sindhu open, emptying the bowl of amrita.
The story goes that Brahma built Mayureshwar's shrine at Morgaon. That's why Morgaon's Moreshwar is the first of the Ashtavinayak, and the pilgrimage starts and ends there.
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In Maharashtra and beyond
Morgaon is crowded today, and Ganesha's palkhi comes in procession from Moraya Gosavi's temple at Chinchwad. The Nandi facing Moreshwar is something to look for: Nandi usually faces Shiva.
At Siddhatek, Siddhivinayak's trunk turns to the right, and devotees walk around the hill seven times. On the Konkan coast, the swayambhu Ganesha at Ganpatipule, by the sea, celebrates his Jayanti today.
Some homes shape a cone-shaped Ganesha from turmeric or sindoor, worship it, and immerse it on the fourth day. In Uttar Pradesh this is Tilo Chauth or Sakat Chauth.
How to do the puja
In short: Sesame for the bath, the birth puja for Ganesha, sesame sweets as naivedya, and the meal at night.
- 1Rub a sesame paste on your body, then bathe in water with a little sesame in it.Sesame keeps you warm in the cold of Magha. Many also wear red today.
- 2Take the sankalp, and fast through the day on fruit, milk or fasting foods.If you're unwell, pregnant or elderly, eat simply instead.
- 3Set Ganesha's image or a picture on a clean patta.Some homes worship a small cone of turmeric or sindoor as Ganesha.
- 4At the puja time shown above, celebrate his birth: offer durva, red flowers, haldi-kunku and akshata.Your city's puja time is above.
- 5Recite the Ganapati Atharvashirsha or Ganesha's names.Say what you can: once, said with care, is enough.
- 6Offer sesame ladoos or sesame modaks as naivedya, and do the aarti.Naivedya goes to God first, then to everyone.
- 7Share the sesame prasad, and break the fast with your meal at night.A fast by day and a meal at night: that's the custom today.
What you needTick as you go
0 of 10 ready
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as Ganesh Chaturthi in Bhadrapada?
No. This Magha one is Ganesha's birthday in one tradition. Bringing a murti home for ten days belongs to Bhadrapada; Ganesh Jayanti is a single day's puja at home and a festival at the temples.
Why sesame today?
It's Tilkund Chaturthi: a sesame paste, a sesame bath, and sesame for the naivedya and prasad. In north India people eat tilkut, a sesame and jaggery sweet, the same day.
What do I do with the turmeric Ganesha afterwards?
It's immersed in water on the fourth day after the festival. At home you can immerse it in a bowl of water and then pour the water on your plants.
Can I eat during the day?
Most people fast by day and eat at night. Fruit, milk or fasting foods are fine. Health comes first: if you're unsure, ask your doctor.
Set a reminder in the app
The app sends a notice the day before and on the day, even offline.