The ‘Ganapati’ idol puja starts with lighting the agarbatti-dhoop placed in an aarti thali. Then, place the paan leaf with a supari resting on top of it on the floor in front of the sandli. Don’t forget to chant the golden mantra of ‘Om Gan Ganpatiye Namah’. If there is a pandit (priest) performing the puja for you, then do place some dakshina (offering) for him and also for the artisans, who beautifully create such murtis (idols). For people, who bring in the ‘Ganesh’ idol home before Chaturthi, need to cover the face of the murti with a cloth, and take it off only on the day ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’ puja is performed during murti sthapna (installment of the idol).
Now, once you have your lord with you and are eager to step inside the premises of your home, don’t forget to ask one of the family members to bring a bowl of rice. Shower the rice (kacha (raw) rice) on the murti before bringing it inside. Also, on Chaturthi, before placing the Ganesh idol on his sthaan (pedestal), put some kacha rice on it and rest a Supari, Haldi (turmeric), KumKum (red colored sacred powder), Abhil and Dakshina.
After placing the newly-bought Ganpati idol home and that too following the exact rituals there are certain requirements necessary to be met with. For example, we need red flowers, druva grass blades, modak (jaggery filled sweet), coconut, red chandan (sandalwood paste), incense and aggarbattis.
