Anant Chaturdashi & Ganpati Visarjan Outfit Ideas: What to Wear for the Farewell

Ganpati Bappa Morya. The last day of the ten-day festival is the loudest and the most emotional — the aarti, the dhol-tasha, the walk to the water, and then the strange quiet of a house with an empty chowki. Visarjan is also, practically speaking, the most physically demanding festive day of the Indian calendar: hours on your feet, in a crowd, often in September rain. What you wear should be chosen for the procession, not for the photographs.

When Anant Chaturdashi Falls in 2026

Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 begins on Monday, 14 September. Anant Chaturdashi — the tenth day and the main visarjan — falls on Friday, 25 September 2026.

Not every household keeps Bappa for the full ten days. The shorter observances in 2026 fall on 15 September (dedh din), 16 September (three days), 18 September (five days) and 20 September (seven days). The dressing advice below applies equally to all of them — the visarjan procession is the same event at a different scale.

The Colours of the Farewell

Saffron, marigold orange, mustard, red and magenta are the colours of this festival, and they hold up brilliantly against a crowd and a grey monsoon sky. This is not the day for subtle.

The Sana kurta with Ria pant — a radiant mustard yellow kurta paired with a contrasting deep pink pant, crafted in satin with a modified V-neckline that transitions into a deep, structured yoke — is a vibrant, spirited festive look that reads from a distance. For a magenta-led version, the Naureh kurta with Suhail pant pairs a rich magenta kurta with a contrasting rust pant, in premium satin with a graceful V-neckline and a straight silhouette.

For the sindoori orange that belongs to this festival more than any other, the Mahira lehenga with Raanisa blouse in woven booti silk, finished with delicate gota, marodi, bead and thread work along the hem, is the celebratory option — best kept for the household aarti rather than the walk itself.

Dress for the Procession, Not the Chowki

This is where most people get it wrong. The morning aarti at home is a completely different event from the afternoon walk to the water, and if you are doing both in one outfit, the walk should win the argument.

• Assume rain. Late September is still monsoon in most of western India. Cotton and light silk dry; heavy tissue, organza and anything with a stiff lining do not.
• Assume colour runs. Gulal is thrown in quantity at visarjan. Whatever you wear will come home marked. Do not wear the newest, most expensive thing you own.
• Assume you'll be dancing. Straight pants, a sharara or a well-cut kurta set — not a long trailing hem on a wet road.
• Assume your feet will suffer. Flat, closed, grippy footwear. Not juttis you care about, and definitely not heels.
• Assume crowds. Nothing loose that can be pulled, no dupatta trailing free, no dangling jewellery.

Cotton earns its place here more than any other fabric. The Kaashi kurta set, with a deep maroon base adorned with handblock-style floral motifs in mustard and cream, is breathable printed cotton with a flattering V-neckline — festive in colour, entirely practical in fabric. The Taruja kurta set does the same in a rich mustard base with a floral jaal in deep reds and beige, capturing the earthy warmth of Indian block prints.

If You're Hosting the Aarti at Home

The last aarti before Bappa leaves is the moment the family photograph gets taken, and plenty of households dress properly for it and then change before the procession. If that's your plan, the morning outfit can be as festive as you like.

A Chanderi or silk kurta set works well here — light enough for a September morning in a room full of people, camphor and a hundred modaks. The Afreen kurta with Maahi pant in sunshine yellow Chanderi, with each flower hand-embroidered in cutdana and bead work, is joyful and appropriate. The Haniya magenta Chanderi kurta, in a classic A-line cut with hand-embroidered floral motifs in gold thread, sequins and multicolour detailing along the sleeves and hem, is the richer alternative.

A Note on Modesty and the Mandal

If you're visiting a public mandal or a neighbourhood pandal rather than only your own house, dress as you would for a temple: covered shoulders, covered knees, and something you're comfortable sitting cross-legged on the floor in. Public pandals during Ganeshotsav can be extremely crowded, and a simple covered kurta set is by far the most comfortable thing to navigate them in.

What the Children Wear

Children love this festival and will be at the front of the procession, which means the same rules apply, only more so: cotton or light silk, nothing that trails, nothing precious. The Gia kurta with Cyraa pants in vibrant lime green silk, lightweight with a natural sheen and floral embroidery along the neckline and sleeves, is bright and easy to move in. The Roshni kids set, pairing a cheerful mustard yellow with soft blossom pink, is a vibrant tribute to traditional hand-craftsmanship and exactly the right palette for the day.

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