CM Fadnavis Leads Ganesh Aarti at Varsha on Anant Chaturdashi
Synopsis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis performed the midday Ganesh aarti at his official residence Varsha Niwas on Anant Chaturdashi, September 25, 2026, live-streaming the ritual farewell to Lord Ganesha as the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival drew to a close.
Key Takeaways
Devendra Fadnavis performed the Ganesh aarti at Varsha Niwas , Mumbai, on 25 September 2026 at 12:44 PM .
The occasion was Anant Chaturdashi , the eleventh and final day of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
Fadnavis opened with the traditional Sanskrit visarjan verse bidding Lord Ganesha to depart and return next year.
The aarti was live-streamed , extending the observance to devotees across Maharashtra.
Holding public rituals at Varsha Niwas during Ganesh Chaturthi is an established tradition for Maharashtra Chief Ministers.
Maharashtra's largest annual festival reached its emotional crescendo on Friday, September 25, 2026, as Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis performed the midday aarti of Lord Ganesha at his official residence, Varsha Niwas in Mumbai, on Anant Chaturdashi — the eleventh and final day of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Sharing the live broadcast at 12:44 PM, Fadnavis opened with a Sanskrit verse from the traditional visarjan ritual — 'ॐ गच्छ गच्छ सुरश्रेष्ठ, स्वस्थाने परमेश्वर' — which translates to: 'Go, go, O best among the divine, return to your own abode, O Supreme Lord; accept my worship, and come again.' The words signal the ceremonial farewell to Ganesha, bidding the deity to depart with a promise of return.
The Aarti at Varsha Niwas
Varsha Niwas, the official bungalow of every Maharashtra Chief Minister, has long served as a site for public observance of Ganesh Chaturthi. Holding the aarti there — and live-streaming it to devotees across the state — is a custom that bridges the office of the Chief Minister with Maharashtra's most celebrated religious festival. For Fadnavis, a BJP leader who has served multiple terms as Chief Minister, the gesture reinforces a personal as much as a political connection to the festival.Anant Chaturdashi and the Moment of Visarjan
Anant Chaturdashi, the fourteenth lunar day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada, is the day Maharashtra holds its breath. Across Mumbai, Pune, and hundreds of towns and villages, processions build through the afternoon before idols are immersed in rivers, lakes, and the sea — completing the ten-day cycle of welcome, worship, and farewell. The festival's scale is staggering: Mumbai alone sees hundreds of thousands of devotees line the streets, with the iconic Lalbaugcha Raja and other famed mandals drawing enormous crowds toward the coast. The twin chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudchya Varshi Lavkar Ya' — 'Lord Ganesha, come back soon next year' — echo through the city as the afternoon unfolds. By performing the noon aarti and sharing it publicly, Fadnavis extended the moment of devotion beyond the walls of Varsha Niwas, joining millions of Maharashtrians in the final hours before the city bids Bappa goodbye for another year.Point of View
Blending state protocol with the festival's mass cultural resonance. For Fadnavis, live-streaming the visarjan aarti fits a broader pattern of using social media to personalise governance and connect with Maharashtra's deeply devout electorate. The ritual participation carries symbolic weight beyond the religious: it signals continuity of a tradition that transcends party lines and reinforces the incumbent's identification with the state's defining cultural moment. With visarjan processions set to unfold across Mumbai and Pune through the afternoon, the CM's noon broadcast effectively opens the curtain on the day's most emotionally charged hours.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Anant Chaturdashi and why is it significant in Maharashtra?
Anant Chaturdashi is the fourteenth lunar day that marks the end of the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival. It is the day when Ganesha idols are immersed in water bodies in a ceremony called Ganesh Visarjan, celebrated with massive processions across Mumbai, Pune, and the rest of Maharashtra.
What did CM Devendra Fadnavis do on Anant Chaturdashi 2026?
CM Devendra Fadnavis performed the midday Ganesh aarti at Varsha Niwas, his official Mumbai residence, on September 25, 2026, and live-streamed it on social media.
What is the meaning of the Sanskrit verse Fadnavis posted?
The verse — 'Om Gachchha Gachchha Sureshrestha, Swasthaane Parameshwara' — is a traditional visarjan mantra asking Lord Ganesha to return to his divine abode after accepting the devotee's worship, with a prayer for his return next year.
What is Varsha Niwas?
Varsha Niwas is the official residence of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, located in south Mumbai. It has historically been the venue for official state observances of major festivals including Ganesh Chaturthi.
When does Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 end?
Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 concludes on Anant Chaturdashi, September 25, 2026, with Ganesh Visarjan ceremonies taking place across Maharashtra throughout the day.
