Festivals · 2026

Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: The Computed Date, Tithi and Muhurat

By Dr. R.P. Sharma, Vedic astrologer since 1979 · timings computed on real sidereal positions

Why 14 September: Ganesh Chaturthi follows the madhyahna-vyapini rule — the chaturthi must prevail at midday, when Ganesha is worshipped. The tithi runs 14-09-2026 07:07 to 15-09-2026 07:44 IST, so midday chaturthi falls only on the 14th; by the 15th midday, panchami has begun.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 falls on Monday, 14 September 2026. The governing tithi — Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturthi, the arrival of Ganapati — runs from 14-09-2026 07:07 IST to 15-09-2026 07:45 IST, computed from the ephemeris with the Lahiri ayanamsa, the way a Panchang actually derives it. The observance follows madhyahna (midday).

How the day is kept

The murti is established and worshipped during madhyahna — the midday span counted as the birth-time of Ganesha — and the utsava runs its traditional days through visarjana.

Why the tithi window matters more than the date

A Hindu festival is not a civil date; it is a tithi caught at a particular quality of time — madhyahna (midday) here. When the tithi straddles two days, the rule decides the day, which is why two neighbouring calendars sometimes disagree while both cite the same sky. The window printed above is the actual astronomy; the rule applied to it is the tradition. Together they give you the answer the forwards never explain. For the method itself, see our muhurat & festivals guide.

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See also: August 28, 2026 Lunar Eclipse In India.