Swapnil Parab, secretary of Ganesh Gully, said, “Our pandal of Raigad fort commemorated the 350th anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s coronation.In keeping with that theme, we have for the first time devised a live act for our visarjan yatra where an actor will dress likeShivaji Maharaj and lead a palkhi.”
Mumbai Police band’s musical ode to Lord Ganesha enchants netizens
Prashant Kadam, joint secretary, Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani, said, “Our procession will start at 10.00 am and reach Chowpatty after almost 22 hours.”
Mandals have hired dhol tasha, lezim and DJ bands. Colaba cha Yuvraj has crafted a 35-ft tall Ganpati in Shri Ram avatar sitting upon the back of Lord Hanuman. Chairman Nitesh Bandre said, “Our visarjan team led by Dilip Koli performs visarjan by crane in deep waters off Gateway of India at 5.00 o’clock the following morning ” Around 1,000 people join the yatra accompanied by banjo and live concert.
Meanwhile the flower shower mandals of Lalbaug began preparing for Anant Chaturdashi two months ago. Seva Sadhna Pushpavrushti Mandal has carved a 13-ft tall model of Lord Ram, whose base will slide apart to shower flowers upon Ganesh idols below the building headed for immersion. Member Atmaram Parab said, “Satyavan Pandit is the artisan who has devotedly been carving our model since 35-40 years. Our volunteers will fill 200 kg marigold petals and 100 kg saffron coloured gulal into the base of the statue to sprinkle upon the idols.”
At Prarthana Samaj near Chowpatty, residents of KN Bhatia housing society have engaged 40 cooks and servers to prepare hot breakfast, lunch and dinner for over 1,000 policemen and other personnel on immersion duty. Organiser Hiten Sundhani said proper seating arrangements had been made in the compound. He said, “One resident is a caterer who provides this service on no-profit no-loss basis. We have devised a lavish multi-course menu. We will serve upma and pineapple sheera for breakfast, followed by dal-rice, moong, paratha, korma, vegetables, shrikhand, dahiwada, dhokla and accompaniments for lunch. The dinner menu is led by zeera rice, dal fry, pav, patal bhaji and ice cream. Tea and coffee flows through the day.”
Lalbaugcha Raja is the last idol to be immersed at Girgaum Chowpatty the following morning, although other mandals are now competing to delay immersion.
Religious scholar and astronomer DK Soman of Thane provided perspective saying, “Ganeshotsav in its modern form started when farmers began to thank Mother Earth for the new harvest by creating small mud idols of Ganesh in the fields, and immersing them right there after worship. They did not bring the idol home. But once moortikars began to craft beautiful idols, people wanted to worship them longer like 1.5 or five or seven days. The scriptures do not mention immersion at Anant Chaturdashi. This is the day for Vishnu’s worship, in fact. Yet it is better that Ganpati immersion be completed September 28 instead of September 29 which is the first day of the Shraddh observance.”
