Ganeshotsav is a time of joy and blessings. For ten days, people celebrate together, but the final day, Visarjan, often feels bittersweet as we bid farewell to Bappa and hope for his return next year.
What many may not realize is that this day, known as Anant Chaturdashi, is also dedicated to worshipping Lord Vishnu or Anant. Some are unaware of this connection or the story behind it, so we set out to explore why Visarjan coincides with Anant Chaturdashi and the significance of Lord Vishnu’s worship on this day.
The story
Yudhistir Govinda Das, Country Director of ISKCON India, discusses the spiritual significance behind Anant Chaturdashi, which is observed on the 14th day of the waxing moon in Bhadrapada. “This sacred day is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, known by one of his names as Ananta, the infinite sustainer of the universe, who rests on the eternal serpent Ananta Shesha. The history stems from ancient scriptures, which describe devotees observing the Anant Vrata to seek Lord Vishnu’s blessings for prosperity, protection, and spiritual liberation. On this day, devotees tie the Anant thread, symbolising an eternal bond with the Lord, and perform rituals to honour his infinite grace.”
This coincidence with Ganesh Visarjan, the day of immersion of Lord Ganesha’s idols and marking the end of Ganesh Chaturthi and the worship of Lord Vishnu and Lord Ganesha, can be called a wonderful union showing the service of Lord Vishnu and his devotee, he says.
According to Dr Geetanjalii Saxena, a celebrity astrologer and tarot card reader, Anant Chaturdashi or Ananta Vrata blends devotion and tradition. “According to legend, a devoted woman named Sushila tied a 14-knotted thread, the Anant Sutra, on her wrist as advised by Vishnu. When her husband removed it unknowingly, they faced hardships that later resolved through devotion.”
She explains that devotees make a sacred vow to Lord Vishnu, praying for protection, prosperity, and help in overcoming life’s challenges.
For Dr. Yogrishi Vishvketu, a global yoga educator, the founder of Akhanda Yoga Institute and an author, Anant Chaturdashi is one festival that brings together the multiple strands of India’s spiritual traditions and has many stories of its origins. “In the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna advises Yudhishthira to observe the Anant vow during the Pandavas’ exile. After 12 years of exile and a 13th year in concealment, the vow of Anant was said to help them regain their lost kingdom, teaching that trust in the eternal sustainer brings resilience during trials.”
He talks about the symbolism of 14 woven within. “That this very day also marks the conclusion of Ganesh Chaturthi adds another dimension. While Ganesha represents beginnings and the physical form, Vishnu as Anant represents continuity and the eternal. Thus, the day balances farewell and permanence, reminding us of life’s cycles of form and formlessness.”
The rituals
About certain rituals marking the worship of Lord Vishnu, Saxena mentions, “The key ritual is tying the Anant Sutra, a sacred thread with 14 knots, after offering it to Lord Vishnu for protection and blessings. Offerings of Panchamrit are made while reciting the Vishnu Sahasranama. The day also marks Ganesh Visarjan, blending two meaningful traditions in one occasion.”
Vishvketu highlights how the rituals on this day represent completion and wholeness. The sacred thread, called the Anant Sutra, is tied on the arm during Anant Puja. It is coloured with turmeric and saffron, and each of its 14 knots stands for a different part of the universe’s order. On this day, families cook 14 types of food, women often fast for Vishnu, and prayers are offered. All these acts show the importance of the number 14, reminding us that every part of life helps create balance and wholeness.
True meaning
Vishvketu considers Anant Chaturdashi as more than an immersion ritual. “Spiritually, it represents the eternal cycles of creation, preservation, and dissolution. Lord Vishnu, in his Ananta Shayana posture, reclining upon the cosmic serpent, is shown in transcendental rest through the presence of Yoga Nidra Devi. In times of Pralaya, this state of divine repose is essential to renewal, showing that rest and regeneration are as sacred as action and creation.”
“As with any other festival, this day inspires us by means of scriptural stories, worshiping Lord Krishna and bhajans to remember the unlimited presence of the supreme lord and seek his limitless compassion and protection. Observing Vrata, or fasts is meant for purifying our consciousness and channelling our energies towards God,” reveals Das.
Saxena feels Anant Chaturdashi has a deeper meaning. “The immersion of Ganpati is symbolic of surrender. As the clay idol dissolves back into water, it reminds us to let go of ego and attachments, and return to our own source. For those who worship Vishnu, the day is about continuity and infinity, showing us that while forms fade, the eternal divine always remains. In that sense, the day beautifully unites endings with eternal beginnings, teaching us to embrace change while staying rooted in the divine.”
Message to take
Ganesh Visarjan or Anant Chaturdashi has more than religious and spiritual meaning to it. Das says, “One can take lessons from Anant Chaturdashi that God is omnipresent and that devotion can be manifested in many different acts for the pleasure of God. Just like for us to relish a meal, all different flavours come together on our plates, Lord Krishna enjoys the devotion of his devotees through various acts especially on days like this.”
Saxena feels Anant Chaturdashi from a religious point of view is all about balance, as we pray to Lord Ganesha to eliminate troubles and to Lord Vishnu for his eternal support. “Lord Vishnu’s worship reminds us to hold on to eternal values like truth and compassion, while Ganesh visarjan teaches us detachment and trust in life’s flow. Together, they inspire inner strength-to start new journeys with faith, courage, and protection.”
Vishvketu considers the Anant Chaturdashi lessons as deeply relevant in modern life. “Religiously, it is a day that embraces both birth and death, beginnings and endings, reminding us that letting go is as sacred as starting anew. Spiritually, it teaches surrender, and each cycle of joy and challenge builds resilience and inner wisdom. Anant Chaturdashi is a living reminder to practice presence, welcome beginnings, and release endings with grace.”
He considers the surrender to be the active cultivation of balance and acceptance. “To remember Vishnu as the eternal sustainer while immersing Ganesha as the beloved form is to live the essence of Yoga: integrating presence, equanimity, and surrender into every cycle of life. By bidding farewell to Ganesha while remembering Vishnu as the infinite sustainer, we are reminded that letting go is not loss-it is continuity. In honouring both the temporary and the eternal, the festival shows us how to live Yoga off the mat: with equanimity, surrender, and trust in the cycles of life.”
Ganesh Visarjan and Anant Chaturdashi invite us to reflect on their spiritual meaning and use these lessons to bring positivity into our lives.