Sankatahara Chaturthi Puja: Date, History, And Rituals

What is Sankatahara Chaturthi Puja in north India and which deity is worshipped in this puja? What is the purpose of performing Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam? Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam falls in each lunar month of the Hindu calendar. As per Hinduism, two Chaturthi tithis come in every lunar month. 

The first Chaturthi after the full moon or Purnima is known as Sankatahara Chaturthi during Krishna paksha. The second one Chaturthi comes after the new moon and means Amavasya is called Vinayaka Chaturthi during shukla paksha. 

However, Sankatahara Chaturthi primarily falls in the month of Magha (Purnima) and Paush (Amavasya), with monthly fasting observed.

It is said that if Sankatahara Chaturthi comes on Tuesday, it is referred to as Angakari Chaturthi which is highly auspicious. In the west and south parts of India especially in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam is performed.

The Sankatahara Chaturthi puja is dedicated to the benign elephant God or Lord Ganesha, he helps the devotee to get rid of problems and difficulties in life. This festival is also known as Sankashti Chaturthi which is observed in Krishna paksha “Chaturthi”. 

The Hindu Panchang represents a lunar month with two Chaturthi Tithis (Dates). “Sankashti Chaturthi” takes place after Puranmasi or on the full moon day during the Krishna Paksha, whereas “Vinayaka Chaturthi” comes after Amavasya or on the new moon day during the Shukla Paksha.

States in both the north and south of India celebrate Sankashti Chaturthi. The Sanskrit word “Sankashti” means “freedom from difficult times” and is derived from that language.

Date And Time Of Sankatahara Chaturthi Puja 2024

Based on the Hindu panchang calendar the list of Sankatahara Chaturthi puja’s date and time is mentioned below:

Monday, 29 January – Sakat Chauth Lambodara Sankashti Chaturthi; Starts at 06:10 AM on Jan 29 and ends at 08:54 AM on 30 Jan.

Wednesday, 28 February – Dwijapriya Sankashti Chaturthi; Starts at 01:53 AM on Feb 28 and ends at 04:18 AM on Feb 29.

Thursday, 28 March – Bhalachandra Sankashti Chaturthi; Starts at 06:56 PM on Mar 28 and ends at 08:20 PM on Mar 29.

Saturday, 27 April – Vikata Sankashti Chaturthi; Starts at 08:17 AM on Apr 27 and ends at 08:21 AM on 28 April.

Sunday, 26 May – Ekadanta Sankashti Chaturthi; Starts at 06:06 PM on May 26 and ends at 04:53 PM on 27 May.

Tuesday, 25 June – Krishnapingala Sankashti Chaturthi; Starts at 01:23 AM on Jun 25 and ends at 11:10 PM on Jun 25 

Wednesday, 24 July – Gajanana Sankashti Chaturthi; Starts at 6:30 AM on Jul 6 and ends at 3:12 AM 

Thursday, 22 August – Bahula Chaturthi Heramba Sankashti Chaturthi; Starts at 01:46 PM on Aug 22 and ends at 10:38 AM on August 23.

Saturday, 21 September – Vighnaraja Sankashti Chaturthi; Starts at 09:15 PM on Sep 20 and ends at 06:13 PM on 21 Sep.

Sunday, 20 October – Karwa Chauth Vakratunda Sankashti Chaturthi; Starts at 06:46 AM on Oct 20 and ends at 04:16 AM on Oct 21.

Monday, 18 November – Ganadhipa Sankashti Chaturthi; Starts at 06:55 PM 

Oct 18 and ends at 05:28 PM on Nov 19.

Wednesday, 18 December – Akhuratha Sankashti Chaturthi
; Starts at 10:06 AM on Dec 18 and ends at 10:02 AM on Dec 19.

What Is Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam

The Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam word is derived from combining two separate words ‘Sankat’ or ‘Sankata’ means problems and ‘Hara’ means remover of obstacles. Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam has other names Sankashti Chaturthi, Vinayaka Chaturthi, and Angarka Chaturthi.

The Chaturthi puja is observed on the 4th day after the Purnima or full moon day. Not only god, but people also worship the moon by offering flowers, rice, sandalwood paste, Chandan, and water in the direction of the moon.

In the Hindu calendar, people celebrate Chaturthi on the fourth day after a full moon and the fourth day after a new moon. Thus, Vinayaka Chaturthi and Sankashti Chaturthi are the two Chaturthi.

This event is referred to as Angaraki Chaturthi when it occurs on a Tuesday. India celebrates this holiday with a lot of fanfare. In Tamil Nadu, people know the celebration as Sankatahara Chaturthi.

The fourth day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month Bhadrapada marks the beginning of Vinayaka Chaturthi, also known as Ganesh Chaturthi Puja. During the event, people install Ganesha clay idols in homes and workplaces. People observe Vedic songs, sacrifices, prayers, sweets, and a 10-day fast.

Significance Of Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha’s parents are Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Lord Ganesha, the god who removes obstacles and brings success, is loved and venerated.

He is the elephant-headed god along with the human head in the form of primordial. During Sankatahara Chaturthi puja, devotees worship Lord Ganesha as a happy dancer, a symbol of strength, a sweet child, and many other forms.

To seek blessings and start any new venture Lord Ganesha helps the devotee to follow the custom of Sankatahara Chaturthi puja & Sankashti Chaturthi.

Importance Of Sankatahara Chaturthi Puja

On the Chaturthi Tithi, people carefully observe the sacred ceremony of seeing the moon. The fast ends after the moonrise on Sankashti Chaturthi. If someone observes this fast, people think that they will accomplish all of their aspirations.

Sankashti Chaturthi consists of a total of 13 Vrats in the ideal cycle. And each Vrat has a unique Vrat Katha. The final Katha that one can read once every four years is “Adika.”

In Hindu dharma, the elephant-headed god Lord Ganesha is worshipped first before any auspicious things. People worship Lord Ganesha at the beginning of the new venture and rituals. During the month, devotees perform the Sanakatahara Chaturthi puja on one specific day.

The Sankatahara Chaturthi puja occurs on Tuesday or Friday and people consider it more auspicious. The devotees are aware of Ganesha Chaturthi which comes in Bhadrapada month (Aug-Sept), but Sankatahara Chaturthi is also related to Lord Ganesha and is extensive.

Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam History

The Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam is known as Sankasthi Chaturthi puja. Devotees dedicate this auspicious festival to Lord Ganesha because they worship this puja on the fourth day of the Krishna paksha month. The Vedic scripture mentioned that Angarak was the son of Rishi Bhardwaj and Mother Earth.

Angarak devoted himself to Lord Ganesha and received His blessings on Tuesday (Magh Krishna Chaturthi). Lord Ganesha asked Angarak to make a wish and he conveyed that his wish was to relate him to Lord Ganesha’s name forever.

Lord Ganesh granted Angarak’s wish, and since that day, Magh Krishna Chaturthi has been known as Angarak Chaturthi. The followers of Angarak Chaturthi follow the strict puja rules and fast from morning to evening. In the evening after seeing the moon devotees break their fast and offer puja to Lord Ganesha. 

Devotees believe that Lord Ganesha fulfils any wishes made on Angarak Chaturthi, the auspicious day. Angarak Chaturthi is the solution for those who are suffering from difficulties in their life, Lord Ganesha removes their issues from them and blesses them with a happy life.

Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam Rituals

The fourth Waning Moon is a time of spiritual significance since any worship performed will have a significantly greater impact thanks to the forces present. Therefore, devotees specifically choose Sankatahara Chaturthi for Ganesha worship to effectively remove obstructions.

Ancient texts also discuss the significance of the day, telling tales that highlight it. While people go to temples to pray to the Lord, they also build clay Ganapati idols in their homes and adore them.

The rite of shattering coconuts makes up the majority of Sankatahara Chaturthi worship. In this ritualistic form of worship, people break large and changing quantities of coconuts in front of the idol or at certain areas on stone or the ground.

The coconut has three eyes, just like Lord Shiva, which represent ego, delusion, and karma, the three basic processes of creation, preservation, and destruction. These three things are the root causes of all obstacles.

We can remove all karmic influences by breaking the three-eyed coconut, which will eliminate all obstacles and allow us to advance quickly in both the material and spiritual realms.

Sankatahara Chaturthi Puja Mantras

Vakratunda Mahakaya Suryakoti Samaprabha | Nirvighnam Kuru Me Deva Sarva-Karyeshu Sarvada ||

Om Shreem Gam Saubhagya Ganapataye | Varvarda Sarvajanma Mein Varshamanya Namah ||

On this day, some devotees also observe Sankatahara Chaturthi Vrat, which is a form of fasting that lasts until the moon is visible in the evening.

What are the Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam vidhi to worship the god by the devotee in the right manner:

– On the day of Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam the devotee who has observed the fast for puja needs to wake up early in the morning before sunrise.

– by reciting the Vakratunda mantra, offer Ganga jal to the sun after taking a shower.

– Near your house if there is a Ganesh temple visit it or if you worship the god at home.

– Lord Ganesha is called vigna-harta, the one who removes barriers, while the Sanskrit word Sankashti means “liberation from suffering or boundaries.” Thus, it is not a full-scale Chaturthi, nor is it Ganesh Chaturthi, which both falls in August and September. 

– On Sankashti Chaturthi, one must move quickly from sunrise to moonrise. You should consume fruits, vegetables, and roots.

– Additionally, you can eat potatoes, peanuts, and Sabudana Khichadi/vada. 

– Additionally, you can wear divinely energized items connected to the Muladhara Chakras ruled by Lord Ganesha, such as Eight Mukhi Rudraksha beads, Ganesha Lockets, Ganesh idols or sculptures, Ganesha Yantras, and special Ganesha Puja.

Benefits Of Sankatahara Chaturthi Puja

Observing fast on Sankatahara Chaturthi puja in the month of Krishna paksha gives many benefits and graceful blessings:

• Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam helps the devotee to clear problems and hurdles in life.
• Lord Ganesha grants happiness and prosperity to the devotee who performs the fast with dedication and devotion.
• The effect of Sankatahara Chaturthi puja makes the wishes complete.
• Blessings of progeny and Remove negative energies including the evil eye with the blessings of Lord Ganesha.
• Performing Sankatahara Chaturthi puja to attain wealth and prosperity in the current life.
• The important benefit of Sankashti Chaturthi puja is to get rid of sins and help attain moksha (salvation).

Conclusion

Sankatahara Chaturthi is a happy occasion honouring Ganesha. This day occurs on the fourth day of the Krishna Paksha, the waning phase, in each Hindu lunar month.

The believers undertake a severe fast on this day. After having a darshan (the auspicious sight of the moon) and offering prayers to Ganesha, they break their fast at night. 

On this day, worshippers believe that Ganesha grants his physical presence on earth to all of them. On this day, Shiva declared Ganesha’s superiority over all gods except Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva, and Parvati.

Ganesh holds high reverence as the god of knowledge, wealth, and good fortune. He has customarily summoned before the start of every new project or endeavour or the start of something auspicious.

You can contact 99Pandit if you wish to perform Sankatahara Chaturthi Pooja Vidhanam. Book a pandit online for puja and have them perform the service at home. Also, you can find a Pandit Near Me.

Happy Sankatahara Puja !!!

Frequently Asked Question

Q. What is Sankatahara Chaturthi puja?

A.The Sankatahara Chaturthi puja word is derived from combining two separate words ‘Sankat’ or ‘Sankata’ means problems and ‘Hara’ means remover of obstacles. Sankatahara Chaturthi puja has other names Sankashti Chaturthi, Vinayaka Chaturthi, and Angarka Chaturthi. The Chaturthi puja is observed on the 4th day after the Purnima or full moon day.

Q. Who is the main deity of Sankatahara Chaturthi puja?

A.The Sankatahara Chaturthi puja is dedicated to the benign elephant God or Lord Ganesha, he helps the devotee to get rid of problems and difficulties coming in life.

Q. Why is Sankatahara Chaturthi puja performed?

A. The fourth Waning Moon is a time of spiritual significance since any worship performed will have a significantly greater impact thanks to the forces present. Therefore, Sankatahara Chaturthi is specifically chosen for Ganesha worship to remove obstructions effectively.

Q. What should devotees do on occasion on Sankatahara Chaturthi puja?

A. The fourth day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month Bhadrapada marks the beginning of Sankatahara Chaturthi, also known as Ganesh Chaturthi. Ganesha clay idols are installed as part of the event, particularly in homes and workplaces. Vedic songs, sacrifices, prayers, sweets, and a 10-day fast are observed.

Q. When is it advised to break the Sankatahara Chaturthi puja fast?

A. On the Chaturthi Tithi, seeing the moon is a sacred ceremony that is carefully observed. The fast is broken after the moonrise on Sankashti Chaturthi. If someone observes this fast, it is thought that all of their aspirations will be accomplished.