Sankata Hara Chathurthi - an auspicious day to propitiate Lord Ganesha with an aim to remove obstacles in life. When the 4th lunar thithi of the dark phase falls in the evening of a day, sankata hara chathurthi vrattam is observed. Chanting hymns like "sankashta Naashana GAnesha Sthothram" (from Naarada Puraanam), Ganesha Atharvaseersha Upanishad, etc. will be very auspicious today. The proper procedure for observing this vrattam is to keep a fast throughout the day, do pooja to Lord GAnesha in the evening and break the fast after sighting the Moon.

After taking a vow to celebrate the vrattam for 1 year continuously on all sankata hara chathurthis, one can end the period by performing a "Vaancha Kalpa GAnapathy Homam" or "Mahaa Ganapathy HOmam" in the evening at the end of 1 year. By this performance, even difficult tasks can be accomplished in 1 year.

By the Grace of Lord Ganapathy, all your obstacles will turn into opportunities if you observe this vrattam religiously.

Lord Ganesha is the God of knowledge. We worship him first before starting any work. The name “Vigneshwara” is an apt name for Lord Ganesha as he is known to remove the hardest of all obstacles [Vigna] and allow streamlined success in whatever endeavors we set ourselves upon. It is the same Lord Ganesha who was the only one capable of writing Maharshi Ved Vyas’s dictation of the Mahabharat. Sankashti Chaturthi falls on the fourth day of the secondfortnight of every month on the Hindu Calendar. Devotees fast for a whole day and break their fast after having the darshan of Lord Moon and worshiping Lord Ganesh. This vow is observed to get rid of problems in life. To start with as soon as you get up have your head bath. Clean the sacred place/temple at your house. Do your morning prayers. Always hum Om Ganeshaya namaha 108 times daily. I always hum the 108 names of Vinayaka. They are called the Ganesha Ashtothara of Lord Ganesh On the Sankashti day one can hum the 108 names and bow to the lord 21 times either in the morning or at night just before the moon rise however convenient. During the fasting period, Sabudana kitchadi fruits /curds with Beaten rice are permitted. If one cannot utter the 108 names due to shortage of time or any reason, he/she can byheart this song which is Sankashta Nashana Sthothra and is written underneath.