Amid COVID-induced lockdown and despite BMC's advisory asking citizens to immerse Ganpati idols at home, the city saw 40,823 immersions on Sunday. On Sunday, the idols immersed were by the ones who keep Lord Ganesha for one-and-a-half day.
Of the 40,823 idols immersed until 12 midnight, 978 were from sarvajanik Ganpati mandals and 39,845 gharguti (home) Ganpati, according to BMC. Of these, 710 sarvjanik Ganpati idols and 22,859 idols from homes were immersed in artificial lakes/ponds. No untoward incident/s were reported during immersion, said the BMC. Last year, 46,000 idols were immersed on the second day.
Photo Credit: ANI
Civic wards across Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) had requested mandals and citizens to reserve a slot online for visarjan. The civic body has introduced a website (shreeganeshvisarjan.com) where one can reserve a slot for visarjan. BMC said citizens can carry out immersions at 70 natural and 170 artificial ponds across the city by maintaining social distancing and hygiene norms. The list of the ponds is available on BMC’s website (http://stopcoronavirus.mcgm.gov.in/ganesh-visarjan-locations).
Photo Credit: ANI
Due to the coronavirus pandemic and the Maharashtra government’s appeal for a low-key celebration, Mumbai is witnessing a muted Ganeshotsav this year.
Naresh Dahibavkar, president of the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, an umbrella organisation that coordinates between the civic body, government and Ganesh mandals, told news agency PTI that there are approximately 12,000 Sarvajanik Ganesh mandals in Mumbai, and besides that, around two lakh idols are installed by people at their respective homes every year.
