chaturthi

Chaturthi is the fourth day of a lunar fortnight (tithi) in the Hindu calendar. It occurs on both the bright half (Shukla Paksha) and the dark half (Krishna Paksha) of each lunar month, and is observed with a variety of rituals depending on region and tradition. The term is generic; several religious observances are centered on a Chaturthi, most notably Ganesh Chaturthi, which celebrates the birth of the god Ganesha.

Ganesh Chaturthi is widely celebrated in Maharashtra and parts of India and the Indian diaspora. It is typically observed on the Shukla Paksha Chaturthi in the month of Bhadrapada (late August to September). The festival as a public, community event was popularized in the late 19th century by social reformer Bal Gangadhar Tilak as a means of promoting social unity and self-reliance. It involves installing clay idols of Ganesha, performing puja, offering sweets such as modak, and participating in processions and cultural activities. The festival generally lasts several days and ends with the immersion of the idols in a body of water, a practice known as visarjan.

Other uses of the term include monthly or festival contexts in which a particular deity is honored on the fourth day; some households observe Chaturthi as a day of fasting or special offerings within various regional customs, including occurrences during Navaratri or other lunar-cycle observances.