The birth of Lord Ganesha, the god of new beginnings, is celebrated by Hindu communities around the world in the month of Bhadra. As per the Hindu calendar, the roots and origin of Ganesh Chaturthi lie deeply intertwined with Hindu mythology, religion, and historical events that have shaped it to be what it is today. 

Various Puranic texts hold the most famous legend about Lord Ganesha’s birth and existence. According to the Shiva Purana and Skanda Purana, Lord Ganesh was created by Goddess Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva. It was on one fine day that Goddess Parvati wanted to bathe, and Lord Shiva was away when she needed someone to guard her as she bathed. It is believed that she made an idol of a boy from sandalwood paste, breathed life into him and called him Ganesha. Goddess Parvati instructed him to guard the entrance and not let anyone enter. As Lord Shiva returned and tried to enter, Lord Ganesha blocked him. Enraged and unaware of who Ganesha was, Lord Shiva severed Ganesha’s head to enter. In order to console a devastated Parvati, Lord Shiva promised to bring Ganesha back to life. He succeeded in doing so by replacing Ganesha’s head with an elephant’s. Owing to this legend, Lord Ganesha was reborn with a unique appearance, being an ‘elephant-headed deity’. 

Another significant legend associated with Lord Ganesha is his role as the scribe of the epic Mahabharata. It is believed that sage Vyasa needed someone to write the epic as he envisioned and narrated it. This arrangement was based on a mutual agreement between Lord Ganesha and Vyasa, where Vyasa would have to narrate it without a pause as Lord Ganesha penned it. Vyasa’s end of the agreement was that Lord Ganesha would have to understand every word before writing it down. This legend stands as a testament to Lord Ganesha’s intellect and role as a patron of the arts and sciences. 

In the past, Ganesh Chaturthi was a private festival celebrated only among family members. The transformation from a small, private celebration to one of the biggest communal festivals is credited to the Maratha ruler, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who, in the 17th century, promoted the communal celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi  as a tool to unify his people against the Mughal invaders. It is also believed to have served as an inspiration to Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who devised a similar strategy to bridge the gap between Hindus and non-Hindus in the fight against the British Raj. 

Ganesh Chaturthi or Ganeshotsav is an elaborate 10-day affair of festive euphoria celebrated primarily in Maharashtra and in cities like Mumbai and Pune. It begins with bringing Ganesha idols made of clay or plaster-of-Paris into homes and public pandals by performing the Pranapratishta ritual. Through this ritual, devotees invoke the holy presence of Lord Ganesha into the clay idol as they chant sacred mantras and perform specific rites. After the Pranaprathishta, the idol is placed on a decorated platform, and the Shodashopchara Puja, which includes 16 forms of offerings, is performed. These rituals mark the arrival and presence of Lord Ganesha amongst the devotees as they witness the transformation of the clay idol into the divine embodiment of the deity. 

From days two to nine, each day, devotees perform morning and evening aartis, where everybody gathers together and sings hymns or Ganesh Strotas and regional songs. They offer the idol fruits, flowers, sweets, modaks, and durva to seek blessings. The festival concludes with the visarjan ceremony, where the Ganesha idols are taken in grand processions to nearby water bodies for immersion. This ritual usually happens on the third, fifth, seventh or tenth day, depending on the family's choice of worship. The visarjan on the 10th day is also celebrated as Anant Chaturdashi. It is a ritual accompanied by chanting, singing, dancing, and the sound of drums. Before the visarjan, a final puja called Uttarpuja is performed. The puja is a symbol of Lord Ganesha’s departure into his celestial abode, as he takes away the misfortunes and obstacles of his devotees. The visarjan ceremony is a representation of the cyclic nature of creation and dissolution as it enforces the ideas of impermanence, instilling the teachings of the transient nature of material existence. 

In Karnataka, Ganesh Chaturthi often coincides with the festival of Gowri Habba. It is a festival dedicated to Goddess Parvati, locally known as Gowri, in that region. Gowri Habba effectively sets the tone for the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, emphasising the bond between Lord Ganesha and his mother, Goddess Parvati. Ganesh Chaturthi is also known as Vinayak Chaturthi in the Tamil Nadu region. The festival gets its name from Lord Ganesha’s role of being the remover of all obstacles. 

In recent years, we have seen an increase in the transition towards eco-friendly practices during celebrating festivals. Today, most idols, preferred by devotees, are made from clay and organic colours instead of plaster-of-Paris to avoid harm to the environment and aquatic life. This has been seen as a result of instilled values of respect for nature and the awareness of the environmental impact of festivals and traditional rituals. 

Being one of the grandest communal festivals celebrated in the country, various cultural programs are organised throughout the ten days of celebration, including music, dance and theatrical performances. Like most festivals, food plays a central role in Ganesh Chaturthi's festivities. Synonymous to Lord Ganesha is his believed favourite sweet treat, Modaks. It is a sweet dumpling made from rice flour and filled with a concoction of jaggery, coconut, and exquisite dry fruits, which is mandatorily prepared in every household. It is distributed amongst family members, friends, and neighbours as prasad after the aarti as naivedya, a holy offering. 

A festival of devotion and a showcase of heritage culture, traditional attire plays a crucial role in enhancing the festive spirit. 

Maharashtrian women are usually seen in quintessential sarees, either a Nauvari or a Paithani saree. The Nauvari saree, also known as Kashta and Lugade in regional terms, gets its name as being nine yards in length in comparison to the otherwise five to six-yard sarees. They feature a unique draping style that resembles a dhoti. This draping style is believed to be a pathway to pay homage to the warrior spirit of Maratha women, signifying their role in history. These sarees are often adorned with motifs of peacocks, paisleys, and floral patterns that hold cultural significance in Indian art. The borders throughout the length of the saree are enriched with handwoven zari work, which adds a touch of luxury and opulence. 

Paithani sarees also make their appearance during the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. The saree gets its name from the village of Paithan in Maharashtra, which is believed to have originated over 2000 years ago. They were known to be highly-priced possessions during the Satavahana dynasty, which were later patronised by the Peshwa and Maratha aristocracy. Visually known for their rich colours, they hold intricately delicate motifs such as peacocks, lotus flowers, and vines that symbolise beauty, purity and prosperity. The distinctive factor of Paithani sarees lies in its elaborate pallu that attracts the crowd in colours of magenta, green, blue and saffron, adorned with a heavy zari border often featuring motifs made from real gold or silver threads. For the celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi, most of the women wear shades of red, which symbolises energy and auspiciousness. In contrast, some others wear green and yellow, representing life and renewal and happiness and positivity, respectively.

Men are seen in traditional Kurta pyjamas. The Kurta pyjama set is typically made from breathable and luxurious fabrics such as cotton, silk, or linen to suit the climate of the states in which it is celebrated in. Silk is a preferred choice for rituals and aartis that happen during the evenings. The Kurta is often adorned with paisley designs, geometric designs, and floral patterns.. Gold and silver zari add a regal touch to the outfit. As they perform certain rituals during Ganesh Chaturthi, older men are also seen wearing the Dhoti Kurta. The Dhoti is a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth usually made of cotton or silk, which is draped around the waist and legs, giving the appearance of trousers. For the celebrations, it is tied in the Maharashtrian style, as the pleats are tucked at the back, allowing ease of movement.