Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 falls on September 14, a Monday, the same calendar date as in India, with the festival traditionally running ten days to Anant Chaturdashi on September 23.
When to do sthapana
Sthapana is traditionally done during midday hours, on Chaturthi tithi, avoiding Rahu Kaal and Bhadra. This applies the same way in the UK as in India, only the local Rahu Kaal window differs by city.
The ideal slot? Abhijit Muhurat, the roughly 48-minute window around local solar noon, is considered the strongest for sthapana. In the UK in mid-September, solar noon falls around 1:00 PM BST, so the Abhijit window sits roughly between 12:30 PM and 1:15 PM. But check the exact timing for your city, as London, Birmingham, Leicester, and Edinburgh will each differ by a few minutes.
If you’re working on a Monday and can’t be home at noon, the Shubh or Labh Choghadiya windows in the evening are your next best option. Avoid Rahu Kaal entirely.
Choosing a murti in the UK
Finding a proper Ganesh murti in the UK has gotten much easier over the last decade. Leicester’s Golden Mile, Southall in London, and Rusholme in Manchester all have shops that stock eco-friendly clay murtis during the season. Many UK-based sellers now also ship online, so families in smaller cities don’t have to settle for a photo or printout.
If you can’t find a traditional clay murti, some families make one at home with clean soil and water, shaped by hand. It’s actually closer to the original tradition than a plaster-of-Paris idol. For visarjan, a clay murti dissolves cleanly in water, which matters when you’re immersing in a bucket at home rather than the Tapi or the Arabian Sea.
Visarjan: when and where
Visarjan happens 1.5, 3, 5, 7, or 10 days later depending on family or community tradition. UK temples and local Ganesh Utsav Mandals often set a single community visarjan date that individual families follow.
For the full 10-day celebration, visarjan on Anant Chaturdashi (September 23 in 2026) would be the final day. Most families in the UK, especially those in flats or without easy access to flowing water, do the visarjan at home: immerse the murti in a bucket of clean water, let it dissolve, and later pour the water and clay into a garden or plant pot. This is both practical and environmentally responsible.
Some UK cities now organize community visarjan events. Leicester’s Belgrave Road celebrations, for example, have grown significantly and often include a procession. Check with your local Hindu temple or Ganesh Mandal for organized events in your area.
Puja essentials for UK families
Modak (Ganesh’s favorite sweet) can be made at home or ordered from Indian sweet shops in most UK cities. Durva grass is harder to find; some families substitute with any fresh green grass blades. Red flowers, coconut, jaggery, and 21 modaks are the traditional offering set.
Getting your city’s exact window
Check your city’s Rahu Kaal and Abhijit Muhurat on the muhurat page for both the sthapana and visarjan dates. Select your specific UK city for accurate timings.