Mumbai: Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most celebrated festivals in India, symbolising deep faith and cultural heritage. Beginning on the Chaturthi of the Bhadrapada month and concluding on Anant Chaturdashi, the ten-day festival witnesses the installation of Ganpati idols in homes and pandals. Devotees worship Lord Ganesha with complete devotion, but the most emotional moment comes at the end – Ganesh Visarjan, when the idol is ceremonially immersed in water.
This immersion is not just a ritual, but a profound life philosophy explained in the scriptures. It reflects the eternal cycle of creation, dissolution and liberation. The question often asked is: why is the idol of Lord Ganesha immersed in water? The answer lies in ancient texts that explain its spiritual, mythological and philosophical essence, linking the practice to the concepts of the five elements, impermanence, detachment and union with the divine.
Fusion with the five elements – Skanda Purana
The Skanda Purana states: “Prithivyapastejo vayu: kham chaitani mahābhūtāni…” meaning the universe is created from the five elements – earth, water, fire, air and space – and ultimately dissolves back into them. Ganesh idols, made of clay, merge into water during immersion, reminding devotees that human life too originates from these elements and returns to them after death.
Reminder of impermanence – Ganesh Purana
According to the Ganesh Purana: “Anityam khalu sarvam hi, bhavennityam ganesh smritih…” which translates as “everything in the world is temporary, only the memory and devotion of Ganesh is eternal.” Visarjan represents this impermanence, teaching that attachment must give way to faith and devotion, the true basis of life.
Message of arrival and departure – Pauranic belief
Tradition holds that every year, Ganesha descends to earth, removes obstacles for his devotees, and after Visarjan returns to Mount Kailash. This reinforces the belief that God is eternal, and can be invoked again and again through devotion.
Union of soul and supreme – Upanishadic insight
The Chandogya Upanishad states: “Yathā nadyaḥ syandamānāḥ samudre’stam gacchanti nāmarūpe vihāya…” meaning just as rivers lose their name and form when merging into the sea, the soul ultimately unites with the supreme being. Ganesh Visarjan symbolises this ultimate truth – the merging of the individual soul with the infinite Brahman.
Lesson of detachment – essence of the Puranas
The Puranas emphasise renunciation as the highest virtue. Ganesh Visarjan teaches that even the dearest must one day be parted with. This spirit of detachment (vairagya) is essential for self-realisation and the path to liberation.
Ganesh Visarjan 2025 is not just a farewell ritual, but a spiritual reminder of life’s greatest truths – impermanence, devotion, detachment and the eternal cycle of union with the divine.