Videos: Amid Chants Of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya', Srinagar's Lal Chowk Unites For Ganesh Visarjan

Promoting communal harmony, the Muslim-majority Lal Chowk area of Srinagar witnessed the conclusion of Ganeshotsav celebration on Saturday, which has been a cherished tradition for over three decades, with local Kashmiri residents joining Marathi families in the festivities that was followed by the immersion of Lord Ganesha's idol in the Jhelum River.  

The 11-day Ganeshotsav celebration was held at the Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple in Lal Chowk in Srinagar, which has been fostering communal harmony in the region for decades.

The festival, organized by the Shri Ganapati Seva Mandal, Srinagar, was led this year by Datta Suryavanshi and Pandurang Gaikwad. The celebrations attracted thousands of participants, including both Hindu and Muslim residents, and concluded with the traditional immersion of the Ganesha idol in the presence of Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Inspector General of Police Rajiv Pandey. 

"For more than three decades, our Marathi brothers have been preserving the tradition of public Ganeshotsav at the Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple in Lal Chowk in Srinagar, through the Shri Ganapati Seva Mandal," said Sanjay Nahar, Founder President of Sarhad organization. 

The celebrations have become a symbol of social harmony, unity, and interfaith respect, as they take place in Muslim-majority areas where local residents enthusiastically join the procession each year. 

Several Marathi families have been living in Kashmir for decades, some since India's independence. These families install Ganapati idol annually with community support and festive fervor, later immersing it on Anant Chaturdashi.  

“There are a significant number of residents from Maharashtra – families from the goldsmith community from Satara, Sangli, and Solapur areas who reside near the Lal Chowk area, while some have been living here since India's independence. All of them gather and actively participate in the Ganesh Festival. The support and coordination by the local police, civil administration, and security forces make the celebration possible," Nahar explained. 

“There's large participation of local Kashmiri brothers, which is a special attraction of this celebration. The message of unity, cultural harmony, and brotherhood has been conveyed from here to the whole of India. And Sarhad organisation has always played a coordinating and cooperative role in the celebration,” Nahar added.