Anant Chaturdashi 2026 falls on Friday, 25 September 2026. The puja muhurat for Dubai is 06:09 AM to 09:36 AM. The Chaturdashi tithi begins at 09:48 AM on 24 September and ends at 09:36 AM on 25 September, which is why the puja window closes so early in the morning.
This is also the day Ganesh visarjan is performed, closing the ten days of Ganesh Chaturthi that began on 14 September. All timings here are calculated for Dubai in Gulf Standard Time.
What Anant Chaturdashi Marks
Anant Chaturdashi is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his Anant form, the one without end. It falls on the fourteenth day of Shukla Paksha in Bhadrapada, and the central act of the day is tying the Anant Sutra, a thread of fourteen knots, on the wrist. It belongs to the same family as the mauli tied at every puja, and our guide to Hindu sacred threads explains what the tying is meant to do.
The story comes from the Mahabharata. Yudhishthira, in exile and stripped of everything, was advised by Krishna to observe the Anant Vrat. The fourteen knots stand for the fourteen lokas, and the vrat is kept for fourteen years by those who take it up formally.
The same day carries the second observance most families know it by: the farewell to Ganpati Bappa. The two are not connected in scripture, but they have shared the date for so long that in most homes they are one occasion.
Anant Chaturdashi 2026 Timings for the UAE
| Observance | Date and Time (Dubai) |
| Anant Chaturdashi 2026 | Friday, 25 September 2026 |
| Puja Muhurat | 06:09 AM to 09:36 AM |
| Chaturdashi Tithi Begins | 09:48 AM, 24 September 2026 |
| Chaturdashi Tithi Ends | 09:36 AM, 25 September 2026 |
The muhurat is genuinely narrow this year and it ends mid morning. If you are working, do the puja before you leave. Visarjan can follow later in the day. Every other 2026 date is set to UAE local time on our Hindu Festival and Tithi Calendar.
Anant Chaturdashi Puja Vidhi
- Bathe early and dress in clean clothes. Yellow is the colour associated with Vishnu.
- Place an image or murti of Lord Vishnu on a chowki, facing east. The correct way to place idols in the pooja room covers the direction and the height.
- Prepare the Anant Sutra: a cotton or silk thread, usually dyed with haldi, tied into fourteen knots. Men wear it on the right wrist, women on the left.
- Take the sankalp, then place the sutra before Vishnu and worship it along with him.
- Offer panchamrit, tulsi patra, yellow flowers, chandan, akshat, dhoop, deepak and naivedhya. Tulsi is essential to any Vishnu puja.
- Read the Anant Vrat Katha, the story of Kaundinya and Sushila.
- Tie the Anant Sutra on the wrist while chanting Om Anantaya Namah.
- Close with the aarti. The previous year's sutra, if you have one, is removed and immersed in water, never thrown away.
Ganesh Visarjan on the Same Day
Ganpati Bappa is given a formal farewell on Anant Chaturdashi. Perform the uttarpuja first, thanking him for the ten days and asking forgiveness for anything lacking in the hospitality, then move the murti for immersion. The ten days began with the sthapana on 14 September, set out in our Ganesh Chaturthi guide.
If you are immersing at home, a natural clay idol makes it simple - our Make Your Own Ganesh Kit dissolves in a bucket within a few hours, and the clay can go onto a plant afterwards.
In the UAE, sea immersion is not permitted and you should not attempt it. The accepted alternative is immersion at home in a bucket or large vessel of clean water. An eco friendly clay murti dissolves within a few hours. The water is then poured at the base of a plant or into the soil of a garden, never down a drain and never into a bin.
Plaster of Paris murtis do not dissolve and should not be immersed at home. If you have one, keep it for next year rather than disposing of it, which is what many UAE families now do. Our full guidance is in the Ganesh Visarjan guide.
Keeping Anant Chaturdashi in the UAE
25 September 2026 is a Friday, so the early morning muhurat falls on a working day for most households here. Do the sankalp and the sutra tying before work, and keep the visarjan for the evening when the family is together.
The Anant Sutra itself is the item people struggle to find. A plain cotton thread dyed at home with haldi is entirely correct and is what most families use. Tulsi patra is the other thing worth arranging in advance, since fresh tulsi is not always on the shelf.
For the Vishnu puja samagri, our Satyanarayan Pooja Box covers what a Vishnu vidhi calls for, and the pooja samagri range has the haldi, chandan, roli and thread you will need for the sutra.
For the sutra and the puja
A plain thread dyed at home with haldi is the traditional Anant Sutra. Both are here, with the Vishnu samagri.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Anant Chaturdashi 2026?
Friday, 25 September 2026. The Dubai puja muhurat runs from 06:09 AM to 09:36 AM, ending when the Chaturdashi tithi ends.
How long do I wear the Anant Sutra?
Traditionally until the following year's Anant Chaturdashi, when it is replaced. In practice many people wear it for fourteen days and then remove it. If it breaks or comes off, immerse it in water rather than discarding it.
Which wrist does the Anant Sutra go on?
Men wear it on the right wrist, women on the left. It is tied after the puja, while chanting Om Anantaya Namah.
Can I do Ganesh visarjan in the sea in Dubai?
No. Immersion in UAE waters is not permitted. Immerse a clay murti at home in a vessel of clean water and pour the water into garden soil or a large plant pot afterwards.
What if my Ganesh murti is plaster of Paris?
It will not dissolve and should not be immersed at home. Keep it and reuse it next year. Many UAE families now keep one permanent murti and do a symbolic visarjan with a small clay one.
Do I have to keep a fast on Anant Chaturdashi?
A fast is traditional for those who have formally taken the fourteen year vrat. For everyone else, a simple sattvic meal and the puja is enough. There is no obligation to fast.
Can the Anant Vrat be started in any year?
It is usually begun on an Anant Chaturdashi with the intention of continuing for fourteen years, and it is completed with an udyapan at the end. Because it is a long commitment, most families consult their pandit before beginning it.
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