Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chaturthi is a Hindu festival that is celebrated to honor the birth of Lord Ganesh, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The auspicious festival falls on the fourth day of the sixth month of the Hindu calendar. In the Gregorian calendar, Ganesh Chaturthi usually is celebrated sometime at the end of August and mid-September every year. Lord Ganesh is revered as the God of new beginnings, fresh starts, overcoming obstacles, and a patron of learning and wisdom. It is customary to invoke his presence and seek blessings at the beginning of something new.
Every year, the festival is celebrated by first displaying a decorated and bedazzled idol of Lord Ganesh at homes or ‘pandals’, for over ten days prayers are offered along with ‘prasad’ and the festivities culminate in the immersion of Lord Ganesh idols in water. The immersion is symbolic as it is believed that Lord Ganesh returns to his heavenly abode once he is done with the celebrations and festivities with his devotees. The festival is celebrated with a lot of colors, Ganesh Chaturthi gifts, lights, and most importantly sweets – it is believed that Lord Ganesh was a lover of all things sweet!
Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival that brings together people for prayers, extravagant feasts, exchanging gift hampers, and chanting “Ganapathy Bappa Morya”! For this year, here is a list of Ganesh Chaturthi gift ideas that we think will be perfect for friends, family, coworkers, or just about anyone!
List Of Ganesh Chaturthi Gift Ideas
- Dry Fruits
- Modak
- Scrumptious Munch Box
- Handmade Clay Ganesha
- Ganesha Home Decor
- DIY Lord Ganesh
- An Ode to Ganesh
- Pooja Accessories
- Lights
- The Golden Ganesh
10 Best Ganesh Chaturthi Gift Ideas for Friends & Family
Dry fruits
Healthy, fun, and crunchy – dry fruits are a major part of celebrations and our regular routine. They make excellent munchies as they save us the guilt of snacking on something as they are full of nutrients and essentials. A fine selection of dry fruits like cashews, pistachios, almonds, dates, etc., curated in classic dry fruit hampers makes for an excellent Ganesh Chaturthi gift.
Walnuts, apricots, hazelnuts, figs, etc., can also be included in these hampers. A mix of spiced or caramelized dry fruits can spice things up and add flavor to the festival!
Modak
Lord Ganesh is known to have a sweet tooth and Modak is said to be his favorite sweet dish. To honor his love for Modaks, on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, it is customary to make Modaks and share them among friends and family. Modaks are sweet dumplings with a soft shell made from rice flour or wheat flour mixed with khava or Maida flour.
Inside this soft shell is a scrumptious filling made with grated coconut and jaggery. Other versions of this sweet have emerged like dry fruit modak, suji modak, kesar modak, kaju modak, etc. This sweet is sure to be a hit with anyone as it upholds the traditions of the festival authentically.
Scrumptious Munch Box
Combine the goodness of rich, healthy dry fruits like cashews, almonds, pistachios, and raisins; the heavenliness of assorted handmade chocolates, and the delightfulness of crunchy choc chip cookies and you have the perfect Ganesh Chaturthi gift hamper! Aptly named Scrumptious Munch Box, this gift hamper creates a perfect harmony of nuts and sweets and is perfect for the occasion.
During Ganesh Chaturthi, it’s almost tradition to eat sweets and much on snacks, and dry fruits like cashews, pistachios, and almonds are distributed on Ganesh Chaturthi as ‘prasad’. With the addition of chocolate and cookies, this hamper combines the best of both worlds!
Handmade Clay Ganesha
The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi culminates in the immersion of Lord Ganesh’s idol in water. As per tradition, the idol is displayed for over ten days in homes, temples, and even special public places, where the idol is decorated with grandeur and prayers are offered every day to the idol.
At the end of the ten days, the idol is taken on a procession and immersed in a body of water. In homes, smaller idols are kept, prayers are offered and at the end of ten days, immersed. A handmade clay idol given for this is not only unique and creative but also environmentally friendly which is a unique gift idea for Ganesh Chaturthi.
Ganesha Home Décor
Lord Ganesha is one of the most popular deities in Hindu culture, as he is regarded as the lord of new beginnings, wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune. It is considered auspicious to have a representation of Lord Ganesh in spaces like homes, offices, cars, etc. For this Ganesh Chaturthi, choose an idol, statue, wall hanging, painting, sculpture, or even peelable stickers as gifts as they are sure to lighten up any space they go into.
It is considered auspicious to start an event, venture, project, or simply the day by revoking his blessings, and what better way than with décor! Explore minimal and eccentric designs and styles for homes as they are becoming an emerging trend.
DIY Lord Ganesh
If you are looking to give someone an experience, a DIY set is just perfect! DIY Lord Ganesh kits come with easy-bake or no-bake clay and instructions on how to model the cutest Lord Ganesh idol that one can display at home. Another option for these kits is sketches of the Lord with paints and paintbrushes that one can paint as per one's creative talents. These DIY kits are thoughtful, give an immersive experience, and make unique memories. If you are looking for gift ideas for kids, cousins, or neighbors, a DIY Lord Ganesha kit is made for the occasion!
An ode to Ganesh
Celebrate the birthday of Lord Ganesh in splendor with friends and family by sending them Ganesh Chaturthi gift hampers! Thoughtfully curated to honor the tradition and festivities of the festival, An Ode to Ganesh hamper has products unique to the festival.
In the hamper is a framed image of Lord Ganesh, accompanied by a box of ‘Phool’ luxury incense cones, a large candle in a flower-shaped metal container, and a jar of mixed, crunchy nuts! Each of the items is specific to a memory or tradition that is associated with the festival. This hamper is the perfect way to send Ganesh Chaturthi wishes this year!
Pooja Accessories
As Lord Ganesha is considered the God of new beginnings, most folks believing in the Hindu culture consider it customary to start any event by offering prayers to Lord Ganesh. Be it a wedding, a housewarming, the start of a new business, new journey – nothing starts without invoking his presence and seeking his blessings!
A regal set of pooja accessories like the pooja thali, Haldi-Kumkum containers, incense stands, pooja bell, etc., makes for an excellent Ganesh Chaturthi gift. Popular materials for pooja accessories are metals like silver, brass, or silver-plated brass.
Lights
Lights, diyas, and lamps are symbols of new beginnings, the victory of good over evil, and the power of light over darkness. They are an integral part of poojas and ceremonies that are performed during the ten-day-long festival of Ganesh Chaturthi and make for thoughtful and utilitarian gifts.
You can opt for home décor like lights or lamps that can be reused repeatedly, or once can opt for traditional terracotta or clay diyas that have a more traditional touch. Hand-poured, all-natural wax candles are also great Ganesh Chaturthi gift ideas.
The Golden Ganesh
Another one of Lord Ganesh’s favorite sweets was the laddo. It is said that Lord Ganesh enjoys modaks and laddoos the most, hence no Ganesh Chaturthi is complete without ladoos! This Ganesh Chaturthi, why not do a modern take on the laddoos and give your friends and family a box of dry fruit truffles AKA the dry fruit laddo? Make them even more special by giving them The Golden Ganesh Gift, a beautiful gift box that has dry fruit laddoos, a set of brass diyas, and a carved wooden idol of Lord Ganesh. This Ganesh Chaturthi gift idea will make the occasion simply divine!
Conclusion
The opulence of Ganesh Chaturthi can be seen all around us during the festive days in the home décor, food, and festivities that happen around us. A gift is an extension of this opulence and speaks volumes about the connection you share. Above all, the good wishes, prayers, and warmth you share on Ganesh Chaturthi are gifts from the heart that can never be replaced. No matter what you decide to gift your loved one this Ganesh Chaturthi, a promise to be there for your loved one should be made and honored. We hope that this festive season is full of love and warmth for you!
