Meet Arun Datte, The Artist Behind Parel Cha Maharaja's Divine Balance Concept Ganesh Idol

Ten days before Ganesh Chaturthi begins, Mumbai already feels alive. The sound of dhols, the sight of flower-decked trucks, and the chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya” have taken over the city. But this year, one moment truly stopped everyone in their tracks-the arrival of the Parel Cha Maharaja.

The idol that left Mumbai speechless

When the 82-year-old mandal revealed its Ganesh idol during the grand Agaman Sohala, devotees expected magnificence. What they didn’t expect was to see Lord Ganesha floating in balance at an impossible angle, weapons in hand, mid-strike against an Asur. It wasn’t just an idol anymore, it was a story frozen in time, a sculpture that felt alive.

Social media lit up instantly. Videos flooded timelines with captions like “Bappa broke physics!” and “Divine balance in Parel.” In a city that has seen thousands of Ganesh idols, this one stood apart.

The artist behind the magic: Arun Datte

The man responsible for this spectacle is Arun Datte, one of Mumbai’s most respected murtikars (idol makers). For him, sculpting idols is not merely craft, it’s devotion in clay, wood, and colour.

Arun’s vision this year was simple yet daring: “Balance is what Bappa teaches us-balance in life, in struggle, in faith.” Translating that philosophy into a physical form meant pushing the boundaries of design.

His 'Balance Concept' idol tilts dramatically, as though weightless, held in perfect harmony despite gravity pulling it down. Though the technical details of how he achieved it remain a closely guarded secret, those in the field suggest clever engineering, counterweights, and a hidden support system inside the idol’s structure. But to devotees, the science doesn’t matter-it is pure magic.

More than art, an emotional connect

Standing before the idol, one can feel more than awe. The tilt, the poise, the weapons raised against evil-it all conveys resilience. In a city that battles chaos daily, this Bappa whispers a reminder: “Stay balanced, no matter how heavy life feels.”

This year, Arun Datte’s balancing Ganesh has redefined what devotion can look like. It isn’t just about size or grandeur, but about daring to tell a story in a way no one has before. And in that balance, Mumbaikars see not only their beloved Bappa but also themselves, striving to stay steady in the rush of life.