Ganesh Chaturthi 1874: date and significance

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed remover of obstacles, on the fourth day (Chaturthi) of the bright fortnight of Bhadrapada, observed at midday. Clay idols of Ganesha are installed in homes and elaborate public pandals, worshipped for anywhere from one and a half to ten days, and finally carried in procession for immersion (visarjan) in a river, lake, or the sea. The festival is celebrated nationwide but is especially grand in Maharashtra, where it grew into a large public celebration in the late nineteenth century.