Mumbai: On Anant Chaturdashi, the city’s beloved Lalbaugcha Raja started the visarjan procession and headed with a long route to Girgaon Chowpatty, drawing a sea of devotees and pouring rain-proof devotion. The procession began yesterday evening from Lalbaug Pandal, weaving through Byculla, Nagpada, Don Taki, Gol Deval, and the Opera House bridge before reaching Chowpatty at sunrise. Every stop became a mini festival of colours, chants, dhol-tasha beats, flower showers and gulal, lighting up the city’s streets.
A 360-degree rotating raft guided the majestic idol through throngs of worshippers, with scuba divers ensuring safety along the route and enhancing the spectacle.
Despite the monsoon’s persistent drizzle, tens of thousands of devotees stood firm, determined to catch one last glimpse of Bappa. Many climbed onto road dividers, balconies and railings to witness the grand immersion.
Anant Ambani joined the crowd and added to the emotionally charged farewell. The immersion marked the culmination of the ten-day Ganesh festival, a blend of deep-rooted tradition and modern safety initiatives, including GPS-equipped rafts coordinated by the Ganeshotsav Mandal and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
This year’s celebrations also began with a striking unveiling of the idol in a purple dhoti and golden throne, reinforcing Lalbaugcha Raja’s status as the wish-fulfilling “Navsacha Ganpati” in its 90th year.
Efforts are underway to move the Lalbaugcha Raja on a new raft, so that he can be immersed in the sea. The immersion procession, scheduled for September 6, began at 12 noon and reached Girgaum Chowpatty at 8 am. Initially, there were thousands of devotees in the procession, but later it became a sea of millions.
It took some time to move the Lalbaugcha Raja on the raft, and the tricolor was hoisted as an unforgettable sight. A special automated raft for the immersion has come from Gujarat. Devotees participate in the immersion process along with the Raja and help. The procession took 20 hours, and efforts were made to place the idol on the raft and an aarti was performed. Anant Ambani was also present.
