Ganesh Puja
Ganesha is worshipped as the remover of obstacles (Vighnaharta) and is invoked at the start of almost every other Hindu ritual, festival, or new undertaking. A short Ganesh puja can be as brief as a five-step invocation, while Ganesh Chaturthi calls for the full sixteen-step Shodashopachara worship. Either way, the core idea is the same: welcome Ganesha, honor him with offerings, and ask that he clear the path ahead.
Clean a betel nut with water, wrap it with red thread, and place it on a small stand of silver, bronze, or ceramic. Offer sandal paste and akshat while mentally inviting the presence of Ganesha into this simple form.
With hands joined in Avahana Mudra (palms together, thumbs folded inward) in front of the chest, invite Ganesha to be present and to accept the worship about to be offered.
Through mantra and mudra, the worshipper affirms that the divine presence has taken up residence in the installed form, so that the offerings that follow are received by Ganesha himself and not just the object.
Offer, in turn: water for the feet (padya), water for the head (arghya), sandal paste and rice (gandhakshata), flowers (pushpa), incense (dhupa), a lamp (dipa), food (naivedya), water for sipping (achamaniya), betel leaf (tambula), and a token gift (dakshina) — each accompanied by its own short mantra.
With folded hands, offer a final prayer asking that Ganesha be pleased by the worship performed and that he bless the venture, event, or puja that follows.
Salutations to Ganapati (Ganesha), lord of the ganas (attendants) and remover of obstacles.
This is the short, five-step Sankshipta (abbreviated) Ganapati Puja Vidhi used to invoke Ganesha before other rituals. On Ganesha Chaturthi, a fuller Shodashopachara (sixteen-step) puja is used instead, and if a Ganesha murti is already permanently installed and worshipped daily, the Avahana and Prana Pratishtha steps are skipped since the deity is considered already present.