Bangkok Celebrates Hindu Ganesh Chaturthi Festival

The Department of Religion under the Ministry of Culture invites religious devotees, members of the public, and tourists to participate in the 2025 Ganesh Chaturthi festival, an important Hindu-Brahmin celebration. The festival will showcase the power of faith, the meaning of religious rituals, and the beauty of Hindu culture at three major temples in Bangkok: Thep Manikyaram Temple (organized by the Hindu Association of Samaj), Vishnu Temple (organized by the Hindu Dharma Council), and Sri Maha Uma Devi Temple at Wat Khaek Silom. Activities are scheduled from September 14–25, 2025.

According to Chaipon Sukiam, director of the Department of Religion, Ganesh Chaturthi (also called Vinayaka Chaturthi) is a long-standing festival celebrating the birth of Ganesha, the deity of wisdom, success, and the removal of obstacles. Following the Hindu lunar calendar, it falls on the fourth day of the waxing moon in the month of Bhadrapad, typically between August and September. The festival is celebrated in Hindu communities worldwide, especially in India, where worshippers perform rituals to honor Ganesha in temples and homes, recite prayers, offer sacred items, and observe local customs before concluding with Visarjan—the ceremonial immersion of the deity's statue in water, symbolizing the departure and cyclical return of all things according to Hindu belief.

In Thailand, the Hindu-Brahmin community has long maintained this festival tradition. Each temple and Hindu-Brahmin organization conducts rituals according to their faith and customs. Beyond an act of reverence, the festival offers the general public an opportunity to learn about Hindu religious practices, arts, and culture, which form part of Thailand's religious and cultural diversity. The Department of Religion emphasizes promoting religious organizations and devotees in preserving the teachings, rituals, and valuable traditions of their faiths while creating spaces for interfaith learning and understanding.

Promoting Ganesh Chaturthi therefore not only sustains the religious and cultural heritage of the Hindu-Brahmin community but also helps society appreciate cultural diversity as a foundation for respectful and peaceful coexistence. Director Chaipon invited the public to "open the doors to the experience of faith, learn the meaning of Ganesh Chaturthi, appreciate the beauty of Hindu religious rituals and culture, and together preserve and transmit this valuable religious and cultural legacy from generation to generation."

In 2025, major Hindu-Brahmin temples have scheduled rituals and activities open to devotees and the public, including Ganesha worship, aarti (prayer ceremony), and Visarjan. Key dates include: Thep Manikyaram Temple (organized by the Hindu Association of Samaj) begins on September 14, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with Ganesha worship rituals continuing daily through September 24 at Thep Manikyaram Temple in Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok. Visarjan will be held on September 25, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., followed by a charity elephant-care event at the Old Elephant House Foundation in Kanchanaburi Province. Vishnu Temple (organized by the Hindu Dharma Council) holds Ganesha worship and aarti ceremonies from September 14–24, 2025, four times daily from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Vishnu Temple in Sathorn District, Bangkok. Visarjan will be held on September 25, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.