Mumbai Celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi with Enthusiasm and Environmental Awareness

Ganesh Chaturthi Festivities in Mumbai

The much-anticipated Ganesh Chaturthi festival has finally arrived in Mumbai. This celebration of Lord Ganesh's birth will take place from September 6 to Anant Chaturdashi. One of the most renowned idols is from the Lalbaugcha Raja public Ganeshotsav Mandal, which attracts millions of devotees each year. Established in 1934, this mandal organizes the festival with immense devotion. Additionally, during the Ganesh festival, approximately 30,000 Ganesh idols were immersed by Thursday night, as reported by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

A BMC official noted that during the ten-day festival, a significant number of devotees immerse idols after one and a half days, five days, and seven days. So far, there have been no reports of any unpleasant incidents during this process in the city. The official stated, "By Thursday night at 9 PM, a total of 29,965 idols from the 'one and a half day' Ganesh were immersed in the sea, other water bodies, and artificial ponds. This includes 29,614 'household' idols and 337 from 'public' mandals."

Environmental Measures for Idol Immersion

By 3 PM, over 55% of the 583 idols from the 'one and a half day' Ganesh had been immersed in artificial water bodies. The BMC has identified 70 natural water bodies, including beaches, and established 288 artificial ponds for immersion this year. As part of environmental protection efforts, the BMC has urged citizens to immerse eco-friendly Ganesh idols in drums or buckets, while idols made of plaster of Paris (POP) under six feet should be immersed in artificial ponds.

Political Reconciliation During the Festival

Earlier, Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), visited his cousin Raj Thackeray's residence 'Shivtirath' on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. This visit signals a potential reconciliation between Shiv Sena (Uddhav) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) ahead of local body elections. Later, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also visited Raj Thackeray separately to pay his respects to Ganapati Bappa. Raj Thackeray sets up an idol of Lord Ganesh at his home in Dadar every year.

A photo shared on social media during the festival showed Uddhav, Raj, and their families together, emphasizing unity despite their long-standing political differences. The two cousins have met publicly at least three times in recent months, including a joint celebration of their 'victory' after the Maharashtra government withdrew a controversial order regarding the medium of instruction in schools.

Political Dynamics and Future Alliances

Raj Thackeray left the undivided Shiv Sena in 2005, blaming Uddhav for the split. However, the looming threat of defeat in the upcoming 2024 assembly elections seems to have prompted both cousins to consider collaboration for political survival. They have hinted at forming an alliance for local body elections, including in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, although no formal announcement has been made yet. After leaving Shiv Sena, Raj founded MNS in 2006, but it has remained on the fringes of Maharashtra politics. In contrast, Uddhav has led Shiv Sena since becoming president in 2013, following its split in June 2022.