Why one should never see the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Ganeshotsav, is one of the biggest festivals of India and is particularly celebrated with great pomp and show in Maharashtra. The festival marks the arrival of Lord Ganesha, the beloved elephant-headed deity who is worshipped as the remover of obstacles and the harbinger of wisdom, prosperity, and fresh beginnings. The most beautiful thing about this festival is that almost anyone can bring home the Ganesha idol and offer him prayers and prasad till the final visarjan, which an be done in a day, three days, or even ten days depending on one's capacity.This year Ganesh Chaturthi is being celebrated on Wednesday, 27 August. The ceremonial Chaturthi Tithi begins at 1:54 PM on 26 August and concludes at 3:44 PM on 27 August. As per Drik Panchang, the most auspicious time for performing the Madhyahna Ganesha Puja is between 11:05 AM and 1:40 PM on 27 August. The festival spans 10 days, concluding with the Ganesh Visarjan (immersion of the idol) on Saturday, 6 September 2025.Why it is prohibited to see the moon on Ganesh ChaturthiA key cultural tradition observed on Ganesh Chaturthi is avoiding sighting the moon (Chandra Darshan)—a practice rooted in Puranic legend. Lord Ganesha was once mocked by the moon, leading to his curse that anyone who sees the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi would be unjustly defamed and tarnished with Mithya Dosha (false accusation or dishonor) this applies particularly from 1:54 PM to 8:29 PM on 26 August and 9:28 AM to 8:57 PM on 27 August—the tithi period—when moon sighting should be strictly avoidedThe legend further connects this tradition to Lord Krishna, who was falsely accused of stealing the Syamantaka Mani. Sage Narada revealed that Krishna had inadvertently sighted the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi, invoking the curse. To remedy this, Krishna observed a Ganesh Chaturthi fast and performed worship to Ganesha, which absolved the curse.Hence, to avoid Mithya Dosha, a stain of false accusation-devotees refrain from seeing the moon on this day. If the moon is seen unintentionally, one may counteract the ill effect by listening to or reciting the story of the Syamantaka Mani as a traditional remedy. Mithya Dosh MantraBecause of the timings of the Chaturthi Tithi, the restriction on viewing the moon may sometimes extend across two consecutive nights. As per the guidelines in DrikPanchang, the moon should never be seen while the Chaturthi Tithi is in effect. Moreover, if the moon has already risen during Chaturthi, it should not be looked at even if the tithi ends before moonset.In case someone accidentally catches sight of the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi, the traditional remedy is to recite the following verse, which refers to the Syamantaka Mani legend and is believed to nullify Mithya Dosha:सिंहः प्रसेनमवधीत्सिंहो जाम्बवता हतः।सुकुमारक मारोदीस्तव ह्येष स्यमन्तकः॥The mantra says, “The lion killed Prasena, and the lion was in turn slain by Jambavan. O child, do not weep — this precious Syamantaka jewel is now yours.” This verse recalls the Syamantaka Mani legend, where Lord Krishna was wrongly accused of theft. By narrating this, one is believed to nullify the Mithya Dosha (curse of false accusation) that comes from accidentally seeing the moon on Ganesh Chaturthi.