Ganesh Chaturthi 2024: Essential Puja Items to Perform The Rituals

Om Gan Ganpataye Namah 🙏🏻

Ganesh Chaturthi is an important festival dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the god of wisdom, prosperity, and the remover of obstacles! This year, the joyous celebration on September 7th, 2024, has brought families and communities together in vibrant festivities filled with devotion and happiness. As devotees prepare for the rituals, each Ganesh Chaturthi essential puja item, from the idol to the offerings, plays a key role in ensuring the celebrations are filled with reverence and tradition.

Milkbasket, an online grocery store, makes it convenient to source all these items, ensuring that devotees can focus on the festivities without worrying about the essentials.

The air is alive with excitement as everyone participates in the colorful rituals, sharing love and unity!

Ganesh Chaturthi, celebrated on the fourth day of Shukla Paksha in Bhadrapad, marks the birth of Lord Ganesha, symbolizing new beginnings and success.

Devotees in India and beyond honor Ganesha with idol installations, processions, and rituals, fostering community and devotion. As we welcome Lord Ganesha, gathering the necessary puja items to perform the rituals with love and reverence is essential.

In this blog, we’ll share all the Ganesh Chaturthi essential puja items checklist that you need to welcome Bappa into your home.

So gear up, and let the festivities begin! 🌼✨

What is Required for Ganesh Pooja?

It is essential to gather the right materials to perform the rituals properly. Here’s a detailed checklist of the Ganesh Chaturthi essential puja item, you will need for Ganesh Puja to ensure a smooth and fulfilling experience.

1. Chowki (Platform)

A clean and decorated platform where the idol of Lord Ganesha will be placed. It acts as the foundation for the Puja and symbolizes the sacredness of the occasion. 

You can repurpose an old table or shelf to make a chowki for Lord Ganesha to sit down. If you don’t wish to buy a new chowki, you can find a wooden crate or box. Paint it in red and yellow boxes, and use some stickers to give it a personalized box. 

2. Yellow and Red Cloth

Sacred cloth to cover the Chowki and wrap around the idol. Traditionally, red and yellow colors are favored as symbols of prosperity and auspiciousness. 

In Hindu tradition, the vibrant red cloth serves as a cherished “chowki” during puja, radiating energy, devotion, and auspiciousness.

This striking color perfectly embodies the reverence and passion of the prayers dedicated to the deity, creating a powerful bond with the divine during worship.

It’s a beautiful representation of the sacred connection we strive for in our spiritual practices!

3. Idol of Lord Ganesha

The central figure of the Puja and an important Ganesh Chaturthi essential puja item – Idol of Bappa or Lord Ganesha. Choose a beautiful idol that reflects your devotion and serves as a focal point for the worship.

At Milkbasket, we’re offering different types of Ganesha idols. You can buy Mangal Bhavan Coloured Ganesha Idol (10-inch) from our Milkbasket app. 

4. Betel Nut and Betel Leaves

Essential items for offerings during the ritual. Betel leaves are often used in prayers and auspicious ceremonies and act as a must Ganesh Chaturthi essential puja item, while the betel nut represents respect and gratitude.

Betel nut, commonly referred to as supari, holds significant cultural and spiritual relevance in Hindu rituals and puja ceremonies. 

It is traditionally offered to deities as a gesture of respect and as a symbol of auspiciousness. Its round shape is particularly meaningful, representing the cyclical nature of life and death, a central concept in Hindu philosophy. 

Additionally, betel leaves, often paired with the nut, enhance the offerings and are believed to purify the space and invoke divine blessings. 

Together, these elements contribute to the sanctity of the rituals, reinforcing their importance in expressing devotion and reverence in Hindu religious practices.

5. Ladoos and Modak

Traditional sweets, particularly Modak, which is considered Lord Ganesha’s favorite without which celebration is incomplete. 21 modaks are often offered to the deity as a symbol of love and devotion. 

Curious devotees always wonder, “Why did Lord Ganesha like Modak?”. We have your back with the information you want to know.

Ganesha’s fondness for modaks can be traced back to a charming mythological tale associated with his mother, Goddess Parvati, and his grandmother, Queen Menavati. 

According to the narrative, Menavati lovingly fed modaks to her grandson Ganesha to satiate his seemingly endless appetite. This maternal gesture not only highlighted the bond between them but also established modaks as Ganesha’s preferred delicacy. 

In honor of this familial love and to ensure Ganesha’s stomach remained full, Parvati began preparing these sweet treats herself. 

Consequently, the tradition of making modaks during Ganesh Chaturthi evolved to become an essential ritual, symbolizing devotion and affection toward the beloved elephant-headed deity, Ganesha.

Here’s why we’ve curated 5 traditional modak recipes for you to create from scratch and make Bappa happy!

Also Read: Ganesh Chaturthi 2024: Top 5 Regional Recipes To Enjoy At Home

6. Durva Grass

Durva grass is an important offering to Lord Ganesha, known for its purifying properties. It is traditionally used during Ganesh Puja to invoke the deity’s blessings. Let’s understand why we offer Durva to Ganesha.

Durva grass holds significant symbolic importance in Hinduism, particularly in the worship of Lord Ganesha. 

According to mythology, after a celestial singer disrupted Lord Ganesha’s meditation with a marriage proposal, He declined and was subsequently cursed, leading to an unbearable burning sensation on His head. 

To alleviate this discomfort, Ganesha placed durva grass on his head, which provided relief and comfort. 

As a result of this divine intervention, durva has since become a sacred offering in Ganesha worship, symbolizing humility, the ability to overcome obstacles, and the importance of devotion. 

Devotees frequently use durva in rituals, believing it to attract divine blessings and help in the attainment of spiritual goals. So, don’t forget to buy Doup Grass from Milkbasket to complete your Ganesha Puja essential items checklist.

7. Coconut and Seasonal Fruits

These are offered to the deity during the Puja as symbols of abundance and fulfillment. The coconut, in particular, is seen as a representation of the self, which is offered to the divine. Let’s first understand why coconut is used in pooja.

In Hindu worship, the coconut holds profound importance as it represents the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Devotees honor these divine forms by offering coconuts, seeking their blessings in every endeavor. 

The coconut’s three dots symbolize the three eyes of Lord Shiva, while its white flesh represents Devi Parvati, the water echoes the purity of the Ganga, and the hard shell signifies Lord Kartikeya. 

Interestingly, a coconut is also likened to a human head—with the fiber as hair, the shell as the skull, the water as blood, and the flesh as the brain.

By presenting a coconut and 5 different types of fruits – Apple, Banana, Guava, Pomegranate, and Mango,  devotees surrender their minds and selves, humbly bowing before the Supreme Power in a heartfelt act of devotion.

You can find coconut and fresh fruits on the Milkbasket app at discounted prices. Avail them now!!!

8. Incense Sticks and Lamps

Used to create a sacred and fragrant atmosphere during the Puja. The light from lamps symbolizes knowledge and purity, while incense purifies the environment.

9. Matches

Necessary for lighting lamps and incense sticks, ensuring that the divine ambiance is established.

10. Vermilion

Used for applying on the idol and as part of the ritual offerings, vermilion represents the divine energy that is believed to be invoked during the Puja.

11. Flowers

Fresh flowers are vital for adorning the idol and enhancing the Puja space, offering beauty and fragrance to the rituals.

At the Milkbasket app, you can find all types of flowers required for puja. No need to go out and buy them as we deliver them fresh by 7 AM at your doorstep. 

12. Kalash (Sacred Pot)

Represents abundance and prosperity. The Kalash is filled with water, a coin, and sometimes rice, and is decorated with mango leaves and a coconut on top, symbolizing the essence of life.

13. Garland and Decorative Flowers

Garlands made of fresh flowers adorn the idol, creating a visually appealing altar and expressing reverence.

14. Eyeliner (Kajal), Camphor, and Turmeric

Used for rituals and the decoration of the idol. Kajal symbolizes the eye of the divine (the third eye), while turmeric is often used for its purifying qualities. Camphor is lit to produce a fragrant smoke that purifies the atmosphere and symbolizes the offering of oneself to the divine.

Wrapping Up

As you prepare to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with devotion and joy, it’s essential to have all the puja items on hand to perform the rituals with utmost reverence.

From idols to offerings, every detail matters in honoring Lord Ganesha. To make your preparations easier, Milkbasket, India’s leading daily milk delivery app, offers a wide range of Ganesh Chaturthi essential puja items.

With just a few taps on the app, you can have everything delivered to your doorstep, allowing you to focus on the festivities and welcome Lord Ganesha with love and devotion.

Just download the Milkbasket app, go through our Ganesh Chathurti collection, add your required items by midnight, and get them at your doorstep by 7 AM. All your hassle is handled with ease!