How To Perform Ganesh Visarjan? Key Rituals, Do’s and Don’ts

Ganesh Chaturthi ends with Ganesh Visarjan, when devotees bid farewell to Lord Ganesha after worshipping Him at home or pandals while the ritual has a deep meaning. Devotees believe that Ganesha comes home to bless the family with peace, prosperity, and happiness. While leaving, He takes away all obstacles, pain, and negativity. Therefore, it is important to know how to perform Ganesh Visarjan with proper rituals, chants, and respect and following the right do’s and don’ts ensures the visarjan is done with devotion and gratitude.

Ganesh Visarjan Mantras

There are no separate visarjan mantras. Devotees mainly chant “Ganapati Bappa Moriya” during immersion. You can also recite the prayer:

Mushikavaahana modaka hastha, Chaamara karna vilambitha sutra, Vaamana rupa maheshwara putra, Vighna vinaayaka paada namasthe.

This prayer is for Lord Ganesha as the remover of obstacles, the son of Shiva, and the one who blesses his devotees with joy and success.

Rituals Before Visarjan

Start visarjan day with morning aarti (Jai Ganesh Deva, Sukhkarta Dukhharta).
Offer bhog and distribute prasad among family members.
Perform Uttarang Puja with lamp, flowers, incense, fragrance, and food.
Do visarjan aarti once again before departure.
Gently move the idol forward to signal the farewell.
Thank Ganesha, seek pardon, and invite Him for next year by offering curd and rice.
Tie a red cloth with coconut, jaggery, and grains to His hand as food for the journey.
Sprinkle rice, circumambulate the idol, and take Him around the house for blessings.

Procedure Of Visarjan

Chant “Ganapati Bappa Moriya” while lifting the idol.
Once lifted, do not place the idol back in the house.
Break a coconut outside before heading to the immersion spot.
Remove garlands and collect them responsibly instead of throwing in water.
Perform final aarti facing the waves before immersion.
Immerse the idol with His face towards the family.
Immerse Kalash water and contents too.
If bringing Ganpati next year, keep the Kalash coconut safely in the temple.
After visarjan, return home, bathe, and place the sandli where the idol sat.
Remove decorations the next day and use money kept under the idol for holy purposes.
Keep the akhand jyot diya in the temple.

Symbolic Immersion

If the idol is made of metal or porcelain, sprinkle water on it instead of immersing. Keep the idol in the puja room for worship next year.

Do’s Of Ganesh Visarjan

Chant Ganapati Bappa Moriya with devotion.
Perform visarjan aarti before immersion.
Offer bhog without onion, garlic, or ginger.
Sprinkle rice and curd in Ganpati’s palm to invite Him again.
Break a coconut outside the house before visarjan.
Collect decorations separately for disposal as per guidelines.
Immerse Kalash water and contents.
Take the idol around the house for blessings.
Thank Lord Ganesha for visiting your home.
Bathe after returning from visarjan.

Don’ts Of Ganesh Visarjan

Do not place the idol down once lifted for visarjan.
Do not throw garlands, flowers, or decorations into water bodies.
Do not offer food with onion, garlic, or ginger as bhog.
Do not skip visarjan aarti.
Do not immerse the idol without removing decorations.
Do not forget to ask forgiveness for mistakes during puja.
Do not delay immersion after lifting the idol.
Do not immerse plastic or non-biodegradable items.
Do not forget to distribute prasad among family members.
Do not treat visarjan as just a ritual; perform it with devotion.

Ganesh Visarjan is not just immersion. It is an act of devotion, gratitude, and renewal. By following these do’s and don’ts, devotees ensure that Ganesha leaves with respect and returns with blessings of peace, prosperity, and happiness.