Ganesh Chaturthi 2026: Devotees Celebrate With Greetings as Markets Shut; Bombay HC Pushes Back Against Pune’s 12-Day Alcohol Ban
Ganesh Chaturthi is being celebrated across India on Monday with devotees welcoming Lord Ganesha into homes and public pandals, while social media platforms are filled with festive greetings wishing people happiness, prosperity, wisdom and the removal of obstacles. The festival, which marks the birth of Lord Ganesha, is being observed with prayers, cultural programmes and elaborate celebrations, particularly across Maharashtra.
In Mumbai, Pune and other parts of Maharashtra, the festival has brought a heightened atmosphere of devotion as Ganesh idols are installed for the celebrations. This year’s Ganeshotsav is also notable for an extended 12-day celebration in Mumbai, with several pandals preparing elaborate themes and new forms of public participation.
Devotees have been sharing Ganesh Chaturthi greetings through WhatsApp, Instagram and other social platforms. Messages commonly seek Lord Ganesha’s blessings for prosperity, peace, success, good fortune and new beginnings, reflecting the festival’s traditional association with wisdom and the removal of obstacles.
The celebrations also coincide with a trading holiday in India’s financial markets. The National Stock Exchange’s official 2026 holiday calendar lists September 14 as a trading holiday for Ganesh Chaturthi. Consequently, the NSE and BSE are closed for regular equity trading today, with trading scheduled to resume on Tuesday, September 15.
Equity, equity derivatives and currency markets are among the segments affected by the holiday. Commodity trading has a different schedule, with the commodity market’s first session closed and evening trading resuming later in the day.
Alongside the festive celebrations, Maharashtra has seen an important legal development concerning restrictions on alcohol sales during Ganeshotsav. The Bombay High Court recently strongly criticised the decision to impose a prolonged, district-wide prohibition on alcohol sales in Pune during the festival.
The dispute arose after the Pune administration ordered an extended prohibition covering the Ganesh festival period. Associations representing hotels and wine shops challenged the restrictions before the High Court, questioning the justification for preventing licensed businesses from selling alcohol for such an extended period.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna questioned why Pune had been singled out for such a lengthy restriction when comparable restrictions were not imposed across the state. The court observed that authorities had a legitimate responsibility to maintain law and order, but questioned the assumption that alcohol consumption would automatically lead to public disorder.
The court also expressed concern about the consequences of an extended blanket prohibition for habitual drinkers, pointing to the possibility of health complications. It made clear that maintaining public order was important, but indicated that a blanket restriction affecting all licensed establishments could not simply be justified on that basis.
Following the court’s intervention, the Pune administration withdrew the extended prohibition and moved toward a much narrower arrangement. Reports said the revised restrictions would cover September 14, the first day of the festival, and September 25, Anant Chaturdashi, when major Ganesh idol immersion processions are traditionally held.
The High Court’s intervention has therefore added a significant legal and administrative dimension to this year’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. While Maharashtra continues to prepare for large public gatherings and immersion processions, authorities are balancing traditional festivities and public-order requirements against questions concerning individual rights and the operation of licensed businesses.
For millions of devotees, however, September 14 remains primarily a day of religious observance. Homes and pandals across the country are marking the arrival of Lord Ganesha with prayers and celebrations, while the familiar greeting “Ganpati Bappa Morya” echoes through communities welcoming the deity at the beginning of the festival season.
