More than 62,000 Ganesh idols were immersed across various water bodies in Mumbai on the second day of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, according to civic officials. The festival, which began on Saturday, saw families and ‘’sarvajanik mandals’ installing idols of Lord Ganesh in homes and community pandals throughout the city.
The immersion of the idols began on Sunday afternoon, marking the conclusion of the first phase of the festivities after the one-and-a-half-day celebrations. By midnight, a total of 62,569 idols had been immersed in the sea, natural water bodies, and specially created artificial ponds, as per data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The BMC also confirmed that no untoward incidents were reported during the immersion process.
Of the total, 62,197 idols were household installations, while 348 belonged to sarvajanik mandals. To reduce pollution in natural water bodies, the BMC set up artificial ponds across the city. At least 29,923 household idols and 234 public idols were immersed in these artificial ponds.
The immersion rituals, which are a significant part of the 10-day Ganesh festival, occur on various days depending on the tradition followed by the devotees. While some bid farewell to the deity after one-and-a-half days, others do so after five, seven, or ten days, with the final immersions taking place on Anant Chaturdashi, the last day of the festival.
The BMC has made extensive preparations to ensure the smooth and eco-friendly conduct of the immersion process, encouraging the use of artificial ponds to minimise environmental impact. The Ganesh Chaturthi festival is one of Mumbai’s most important and widely celebrated events, with large numbers of people participating in the processions and immersions every year.