Sankashti Chatuthis

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This is how they celebrate in Mumbai (Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust)

- see details below although the dates were for Year 2001 only.

http://www.siddhivinayak.org/htmls/sankashtichaturthi.htm

What is Sankashti Chaturthi and how is it observed:

This is the fourth day of the second fortnight of the Hindu Calendar Month. On

this day a special significance is to the sighting of the Moon. The pujas, from

Sunrise, are as per Tuesday but in the evening the temple closes about 1 1/2

hour prior to moon rise and Shodashopchar Pooja is performed on Shree

Siddhivinayak and an Abhishek of Milk and Rose Water on Shree Siddhivinayak

goes on while a team of priests recite various Vedic Mantras and Prayers. A

Naivedya comprising of Steamed Modaks and other eatables is then offered to

Shree Siddhivinayak and following the same is the Aarti Mantra Pushpanjali.

After this the temple is again open to devotees and Shejaarti is performed only

after the crowd subsides.

What is Vinayaki Chaturthi and how is it observed:

This is the fourth day of the first fortnight of the Hindu Calendar Month. On

this day the temple is closed for Darshan between 7.30 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. The

entire Mahapuja performed on this day is orchestrated by the Chief Priest of

the Temple and he is assisted by the other priests. This begins with the

initial invocation of the Lords blessings for mankind and continues with a 16

articles Pooja performed with Vedic Prayers and Chanting. A continuous Abhishek

on Shree Siddhivinayak is performed amidst rhythmic chanting of various Vedic

mantras and shlokas. During this Abhishek the Purushsukt is recited once, the

Brahmanaspati Sukt is recited 21 times, Atharva Sheersha is recited 1000 times

and the Shree Sukt, Ganapati Sukt and Saraswati Sukt is also recited once. This

effort is carried out by a minimum of 21 priests. ' Also present for the entire

Mahapuja is one member of the Board of Trustees, who, on culmination of the

Mahapuja and Aarti felicitates the Brahmins performing this Mahapuja. The

Naivedya is then offered to Shree Siddhivinayak followed by the Aarti and

concluding prayers after which the temple is opened for Darshan to Devotees.

What is Agariki Sankashti Chaturthi and how is it observed:When the fourth day

of the second fortnight of a Hindu Calendar Month falls on a Tuesday it is

knows as Agariki Sankashti Chaturthi. It is a special day for the devotees of

Shree Siddhivinayak and the preparations for this day begin well in advance.

The devotees thronging the temple on this day are innumerable and Darshan from

within the Gabhara begins at 1.30 a.m. Tuesday morning and continues

uninterrupted (barring the morning Aarti and evening Mahapuja and Aarti) till

about 2.00 a.m. Wednesday morning. The temple trust makes arrangement of Close

Circuit Television to facilitates lakhs of people to get Darshan of Shree

Siddhivinayak without stepping into the temple. The common Darshan on Agariki

Sankashti Chaturthi Day begins at 2.00 a.m. Tuesday morning and continuous till

about 1.00 a.m. Wednesday morning. It is impossible to estimate the total number

of people who obtain Darshan of Shree Siddhivinayak on this day. The Mahapuja

and Abhishek which is carried out is like other Sankashti Chaturthi days. Also

performed is a Sahastravartan (i.e. 1000 recitations of Atharva Sheersha) under

the auspices of the temple trust. This is done at about 6.30 a.m. and is

conducted from the mezzanine gallery from where other pujas are also carried

out till about 1.00 p.m. after which the gallery is used for common Darshan. On

this day again the temple only closes after the last of the Devotees has been

able to seek Darshan of Shree Siddhivinayak.

(Moonrise is as per IST)

Sankashti Chaturthi

Vinayaki Chaturthi

Date

Moonrise

Date

JANUARY 2001

FRIDAY,12TH

9.09p.m. ( 2109 hrs)

SUNDAY, 28TH

FEBRUARY 2001

SUNDAY,11TH

9.53 p.m. (2153hrs)

TUESDAY, 27TH ANGARAK YOG

MARCH 2001

MONDAY,12TH

9.32 p.m. (2132 hrs)

WEDNESDAY, 28TH

APRIL 2001

WEDNESDAY,11TH

10.06 P.M. (2206 hrs)

FRIDAY, 27TH

MAY 2001

THURSDAY,10TH

9.44 p.m. (2144 hrs)

SATURDAY, 26TH

JUNE 2001

SATURDAY, 9TH

10.08 P.M. (2208 hrs)

SUNDAY,24TH

JULY 2001

MONDAY, 9TH

10.11 p.m. (2211 hrs)

MONDAY, 23RD

AUGUST 2001

TUESDAY 7TH ANGARAKI SANKASTICHATURTHI

9.23 p.m. (2123 hrs)

WEDNESDAY, 22NDSHREEGANESH CHATURTHI

SEPTEMBER 2001

THURSDAY, 6TH

9. 08 p.m. (2108 hrs)

THURSDAY, 20TH

OCTOBER 2001

SATURDAY,6TH

9.05 p.m. (2105 hrs)

SATURDAY, 20TH

NOVEMBER 2001

SUNDAY, 4TH

8.38 p.m. (2038 hrs)

SUNDAY,18TH

DECEMBER 2001

TUESDAY, 4TH ANGARAKI SANKASTICHATURTHI

9.25 p.m. (2125 hrs)

TUESDAY, 18TH ANGARAK YOGhttp://www.siddhivinayak.org/htmls/sankashtichaturthi.htm

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