More than 39,000 idols immersed in Mumbai as 10-day Ganesh festival ends

More than 39,000 Ganesh idols were immersed in Mumbai on Friday as the 10-day festival of the elephant-headed god came to an end, civic officials said. Over ten days, a total of 2,05,722 idols were immersed in water bodies including artificial ponds across Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Friday evening. Of these idols, immersed after one-and-half, third, fifth, seventh and tenth day, 76,709 idols including 72,204 household idols were immersed in artificial ponds set up in all 24 civic wards in the metropolis. The BMC release also highlighted that this year 1,904 Ganapati Mandal's preferred artificial ponds for immersion of their Sarvajanik (Public) Ganapati. While there are 69 natural water bodies available for immersion, the BMC provided 200 artificial ponds too, and collected around 500 tons of 'Nirmalya' or floral waste that will be used for making organic fertilizer for the public gardens maintained by the civic body, the release said.

The festival, which began with Ganesh Chaturthi on September 19, concluded on Anant Chaturdashi on September 28.

Amid the beating of drums and chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya', various Ganesh mandals in the city started processions on Thursday to immerse the idols of the deity, marking the culmination of the festival that is celebrated across Maharashtra with fervour. The immersion processions in the city, which began a day ago, concluded on Friday afternoon on the second day.

The city's famous Lalbaugcha Raja idol, whose procession started at 11.30 am on Thursday, was immersed in the Arabian sea off the Girgaum Chowpatty around 9.15 am on Friday. A 16-year-old boy drowned in the sea off the Juhu beach on Thursday evening. A total of 39,758 idols were immersed till noon on Friday, of which 32,345 were household Ganesh idols, 6,951 were 'sarvajanik' (public) Ganpati and 462 were the idols of Goddess Gauri, the officials said. As many as 11,107 idols were immersed in artificial ponds, including 10,207 household Ganesh idols.

In view of the huge crowds during the immersion processions in Mumbai, more than 19,000 police personnel were deployed in the city to thwart any untoward incident, an official said. Separate control rooms were set up to monitor the immersion processions, he added. The BMC posted 1,337 lifeguards, including 1,035 at 69 natural water bodies and 302 at around 200 artificial ponds, and arranged 53 motorboats at natural water bodies. A total of 242 inspection towers were set up at natural water bodies and artificial points, apart from the deployment of fire-fighting vehicles and trained manpower at the immersion spots, the civic body said.