Rajnath Singh extends Anant Chaturdashi greetings
Synopsis
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh extended heartfelt greetings to the nation on Anant Chaturdashi and Ganesh Visarjan, praying for divine blessings of happiness, peace, and prosperity in every Indian home, and signing off with the chant 'Ganpati Bappa Morya!'
Key Takeaways
Rajnath Singh posted festival greetings on 25 September 2026 for Anant Chaturdashi and Ganesh Visarjan .
He dedicated the occasion to both Vighnharta Bhagwan Shri Ganesh (remover of obstacles) and the infinite form of Bhagwan Shri Hari Vishnu .
His prayer called for happiness, peace, and prosperity in every life and auspiciousness in every home.
Anant Chaturdashi marks the end of the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival, with idol immersion processions held across India.
Festival social-media greetings are a standard cultural-outreach practice by Indian political leaders across parties.
As millions of devotees prepare to bid farewell to Lord Ganesha with the ritual of idol immersion, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh extended warm wishes to the nation on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi and Ganesh Visarjan on Friday, 25 September 2026.
Posting in Hindi on X, the senior BJP leader conveyed: 'Anant Chaturdashi evam Ganesh Visarjan ke parv par sabhi deshvaasiyon ko hardik shubhkaamnaayen' — 'Heartfelt greetings to all fellow citizens on the festival of Anant Chaturdashi and Ganesh Visarjan.' He described the occasion as a sacred festival dedicated to the worship of Vighnharta Bhagwan Shri Ganesh — the remover of obstacles — and the infinite form of Bhagwan Shri Hari Vishnu, saying every heart glows with devotion, reverence, and faith on this day.
Singh closed with a prayer that the grace of the Lord may bring happiness, peace, and prosperity to every life, and that auspiciousness reside in every home — punctuating the message with the traditional chant: 'Ganpati Bappa Morya!'
What Anant Chaturdashi marks
Anant Chaturdashi falls on the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada, marking the culmination of the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival. The day carries a dual devotional significance — the immersion of Ganesha idols in water bodies, signalling the deity's return to his celestial abode, and a separate fast dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his infinite, or Anant, form. Across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and several other states, massive public processions carry clay idols to rivers, lakes, and the sea in scenes of collective celebration.
Leaders join a national moment
Festival greetings on major Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, and Buddhist occasions have become a standard feature of Indian political communication, with central ministers and state chief ministers routinely posting on social media to connect with constituents. Singh's message follows this established pattern of cultural outreach by office-holders across party lines.
For millions of households that spent ten days welcoming Lord Ganesha, the chant of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya' — 'Ganpati Bappa Morya, come again soon next year' — is the bittersweet send-off that closes one of India's most exuberant festivals.
Point of View
A senior BJP figure whose political base is rooted in Uttar Pradesh, such messages dovetail with the party's broader emphasis on Hindu cultural assertion. That said, Anant Chaturdashi is a widely observed pan-Indian occasion, and cross-party leaders routinely post similar messages, making this a ritual of institutional normalcy as much as ideological signalling. The warmth of the 'Ganpati Bappa Morya' sign-off reflects the genuinely popular and festive nature of the moment.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Anant Chaturdashi?
Anant Chaturdashi is a Hindu festival falling on the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada. It marks the end of the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebration with the ritual immersion of Ganesha idols, and also includes a fast dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his infinite 'Anant' form.
What did Rajnath Singh say on Anant Chaturdashi 2026?
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh extended heartfelt greetings to all citizens, describing the day as sacred to the worship of Lord Ganesha and Lord Vishnu, and prayed for happiness, peace, and prosperity in every home, ending with the chant 'Ganpati Bappa Morya!'
Why do Indian politicians post festival greetings on social media?
Indian political leaders routinely post festival greetings on social media as a form of cultural outreach, connecting with constituents across religious and regional communities and signalling solidarity with widely celebrated occasions.
What is Ganesh Visarjan?
Ganesh Visarjan is the ritual immersion of clay Ganesha idols in rivers, lakes, or the sea, performed at the conclusion of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. It symbolises the deity's return to his celestial abode and is marked by large public processions across several Indian states.
What does 'Ganpati Bappa Morya' mean?
'Ganpati Bappa Morya' is a traditional devotional chant meaning 'O Father Ganpati, grant my wishes.' It is the quintessential Ganesh Chaturthi and Visarjan refrain, often followed by 'Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya' — 'Come again soon next year.'
