About Ganesh Pooja
About this puja
Ganesh Pooja is the worship of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles (Vighneshwara), done before any new beginning — moving into a home, opening a business, buying a vehicle, starting studies — and every year on Vinayaka Chavithi (Ganesh Chaturthi).
In every Hindu ritual Ganesha is worshipped first (prathama pujya), so that the rest of the ceremony proceeds without hindrance. A standalone Ganesh Pooja invokes him into an idol, a picture or a small cone of turmeric (pasupu Ganapati) and offers him the sixteen traditional services (shodashopachara).
Why families book it
- Removes obstacles before a new venture, journey or ceremony
- Brings an auspicious start to a home, business or vehicle
- Blesses students with focus, memory and success in studies
- Brings peace and harmony to the household
Good times to do it
- Vinayaka Chavithi / Ganesh Chaturthi (Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi)
- Sankashti Chaturthi, every month
- Before griha pravesh, weddings, business openings and new vehicles
- Wednesdays, and before exams or a new job
What the pandit does
- Achamanam and sankalpam — the pandit takes the family’s names, gotram and nakshatram and states the purpose of the pooja
- Kalasha sthapana and avahanam — Ganesha is invoked into the idol or turmeric Ganapati
- Pranapratishtha of the idol
- Shodashopachara pooja — the sixteen offerings, from dhyanam and padyam to dhoopam, deepam and naivedyam
- Ganesha Ashtottara Shatanamavali — archana with the 108 names, offering durva grass and red flowers
- Naivedyam of modakams (undrallu / kozhukattai), fruits and jaggery
- Mangala harathi, mantra pushpam and pradakshina
- Blessing the family with akshinthalu and distributing prasadam
Ganesh Pooja samagri list
- Ganesha idol or picture (or turmeric for pasupu Ganapati)
- Turmeric, kumkum and sandalwood paste
- Akshata (rice mixed with turmeric)
- Durva grass (garika) and red flowers / garlands
- Betel leaves and betel nuts
- Two coconuts and five kinds of fruit
- Modakams, laddoos or other sweets
- Incense sticks, camphor and a ghee lamp with cotton wicks
- Kalasham with water and mango leaves
- Panchamrutham (milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar)
Ganesh Pooja near you
Read the full guide to Ganesh Pooja — meaning, vidhi, samagri, best time and cost — or see local details for your city.
Questions devotees ask us
How much does Ganesh Pooja cost?
Ganesh Pooja with a verified Stuti Mandir pandit starts from ₹2,100 as pandit dakshina. The price can be a little higher outside the metro cities, live video pujas cost less than a home visit, and the full bill is shown before you pay.