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Ganapati Festival
On the second day of the 10-day Ganesh festival, several devotees in Mumbai bid farewell to the idols of their favourite deity after worshipping them for one and a half days. People took out processions of idols with devotion and enthusiasm, with many devotees dancing their way to the sites of immersion. According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), 195 household Ganapati idols and one sarvajanik (community) Ganapati idols were immersed in the sea and other water bodies, including artificial ponds. As many as 50 Ganpati idols were immersed in artificial ponds that have been created specifically to reduce water pollution, the BMC said. No untoward incident was reported anywhere during immersion so far on Wednesday, officials said. The BMC has earmarked 69 natural water bodies, including stretches off the coast, and set up 191 artificial ponds for immersion this year. The 10-day Ganeshotsav began in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday, with the installation of
The GSB Seva Mandal, one of the richest Ganesh mandals in Mumbai, has taken an insurance cover of Rs 316.40 crore for the upcoming Ganpati festival, a mandal representative said. All public liabilities and every devotee visiting the mandal is covered under the insurance, for the 10-day festivities beginning on Wednesday, said Vijay Kamath, chairman of the GSB Seva Mandal located at the Kings Circle in Mumbai. A mandal representative claimed it to be highest insurance cover taken by a mandal. The insurance worth Rs 316.4 crore includes Rs 31.97 crore cover for gold, silver and other valuable items, and Rs 263 crore of personal insurance cover for the pandal, volunteers, priests, cooks, footwear stall workers, valet parking persons and security guards. The mandal has also taken a Rs one crore standard fire and special peril policy with earthquake risk which covers furniture, fixtures, fittings, installations like computers, CCTVs and scanners, Kamath said. "We have covered all publi