Ananta Chaturdashi Date 2024, Time and Significance – GHdays.in
Ananta Chaturdashi, a sacred festival honoring Vishnu, is joyously observed by followers of Hinduism. This significant celebration occurs on the fourteenth day of the waxing moon in the month of Bhadrapada. According to the Agni Purana, devotees pay homage to Ananta (Shesha, the divine serpent form of Vishnu) during this auspicious time to seek forgiveness from their transgressions. It is noteworthy that Ananta Chaturdashi also serves as the concluding day of the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival, known as Ganesh Chaudas, where worshippers bid farewell to Lord Ganesha by submerging his idols in water.
Ananta Chaturdashi Date 2024: Tuesday, 17 September
Table of Contents
Ananta Chaturdashi Date 2024 Overview
| Festival Name | Ananta Chaturdashi |
| Observed by | Hindus |
| Type | Religious |
| Observances | Immersion of Ganesha idols, Wearing sacred thread (yajnopavita), Prayers, Religious rituals |
| Date | Bhadrapada Shukla Chaturdashi |
| Related Topic | Click here |
Ananta Chaturdashi Puja Time 2024
On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, the auspicious festival of Anant Chaturdashi will be celebrated. The Anant Chaturdashi Puja Muhurat, which is the most propitious time for performing rituals, is set from 05:58 to 11:44 on that day, spanning a duration of 5 hours and 46 minutes. The Chaturdashi Tithi, marking the fourteenth day of the lunar month, begins at 15:10 on September 16, 2024, and ends at 11:44 on September 17, 2024. It is a significant day for devotees to pay homage and seek blessings.
| Ananta Chaturdashi Date 2024 | Tuesday, 17 September |
| Ananta Chaturdashi Date 2025 | Saturday, 6 September |
| Ananta Chaturdashi Date 2026 | Friday, 25 September |
| Ananta Chaturdashi Date 2027 | Tuesday, 14 September |
| Ananta Chaturdashi Date 2028 | Saturday, 2 September |
Story Behind Ananta Chaturdashi
In the epic tale of Ananta Chaturdashi from the Mahabharata, a compelling narrative unfolds around a woman named Sushila. One fateful day, she stumbled upon a gathering of women engaged in venerating Ananta by the riverside. Intrigued, Sushila learned that partaking in this sacred vrata could bring immense blessings and protection to the devotee. The symbolic representation of Ananta, crafted from revered darbha grass, was reverently placed in a basket and adorned with fragrant blooms, flickering oil lamps, aromatic incense, and homemade delicacies.
Captivated by the ritual’s profound significance, Sushila wholeheartedly joined the women in the observance, culminating in the binding of a 14-knotted ceremonial thread around her wrist. Upon reuniting with her husband, the esteemed sage Kaundinya, they journeyed to the town of Amaravati, where their devoutness was warmly received, earning them a grand abode. As Kaundinya’s fortunes flourished, he chanced upon the thread adorning Sushila’s wrist. Learning that her piety was linked to their prosperity through the vrata, Kaundinya arrogantly dismissed its influence, attributing their wealth solely to his endeavors. In a moment of misguided pride, he callously cast the thread into the flames despite Sushila’s impassioned entreaties.
The repercussions were swift and severe: destitution befell the couple, societal ties frayed, and their home was engulfed in flames. Confronted by the harsh consequences of his hubris, Kaundinya embarked on a humbling quest seeking redemption. Through encounters with enigmatic beings and mystical waters, he sought guidance on locating Ananta. Ultimately, Ananta assumed the guise of an elderly Brahmin and appeared before Kaundinya, who implored for absolution. Upon elucidating the profound symbolism embedded in his wanderings, Ananta pardoned Kaundinya’s transgressions. Advising him to uphold the Ananta Chaturdashi vow for fourteen years, Ananta promised prosperity and a celestial abode upon his passing.
Embracing this sacred covenant, Kaundinya and Sushila found solace and prosperity in their renewed devotion, forging a path to enduring happiness.
Celebration of Ananta Chaturdashi
The celebration in certain regions of Nepal, Bihar, and Eastern Uttar Pradesh is intricately tied to the imagery of Kshira Sagara (the Ocean of Milk) and Vishnu’s Anantarupa (a form of Ananta). A wooden plank is adorned with fourteen tilakas, small vertical strips of kumkuma or sindoor (vermilion powder). On these vermilion strips, fourteen puris (fried wheat bread) and fourteen puas (deep-fried sweet wheat bread) are carefully arranged.
Resting on this plank is a bowl filled with panchamrita, a mixture of milk, curd, jaggery or sugar, honey, and ghee, symbolizing the vast Ocean of Milk. A thread with fourteen knots, representing the Anantarupa of Vishnu, is wound around a cucumber and dipped five times into the panchamrita. Subsequently, men tie this Ananta thread above the elbow on their right arm, while women secure it on their left arm. After fourteen days, the Ananta thread is removed. Alongside these unique customs, devotees observe a fast (upavasa) on this auspicious day.