Hi all, I want to keep Sankashti Chaturthi vrat from next month. I have very limited knowledge on this,so need your help. 1. Should we do ganesha pooja both morning and evening? 2. Evening should we do Ganesha pooja before the moon darshan or after the moon darshan? 3. Do you chant any mantra or read any strotra or katha? 4. For people who cant fast, what they can eat and how often?
Sakat Chaturthi is observed after Poornima or full moon day in Krishna Paksha. Get up early in the morning and prepare for the pooja. Based on your ability, you can observe a strict or partial fast. Consume only fruits most preferably the ones that grow under the ground like roots of the plant. The most staple diet for this special day includes sabudana khichdi, potatoes, and peanuts. prepare a pooja thali with all essentials for worshipping Lord Ganesha by the evening. Set an altar and install the statue or idol of Lord Ganesha on it. Decorate it with green grass (Dhruva) and flowers. Light incense, dhoop and deep in front of the idol. After that, recite the Sankashtnashana sthothra, ganesha ashtotara, sankatahara Chaturthi story or vrat Katha with mantra specific to the month. Offer the naivedya whatever you prepared. Once the story is finished, perform the aarti ceremony. Also, perform the pooja of the moon by sprinkling holy water, akshat, flowers and sandalwood paste in the same direction. Break your fast and distribute the prasada in family and friends. Hope this clears all your doubts. P.S. morning you can light diya/deepam and agarbattis and offer simple sweet/banana or gud/jaggery as naivedya. Main pooja will be in evening after moon is out.
