Mumbai: Hundreds of devotees performed Shraddh rituals on the final day of Pitru Paksha at Mumbai’s historic Banganga Tank in the Malabar Hill area on Saturday, even as the water body remained barricaded following the mass deaths of fish earlier this month.
Videos Shows Shraddh Rituals At Banganga
Videos circulating on social media showed devotees gathering at the centuries-old tank at Walkeshwar to perform rituals for their ancestors. The civic authorities had put up temporary barricades on Thursday night to prevent devotees from entering the tank’s waters and making ritual offerings after hundreds of fish were found dead on October 3.
The fish deaths reportedly followed a drop in dissolved oxygen levels in the water, allegedly linked to ritual offerings and pollution. The incident led to concerns over the ecological health of the historic water body, particularly during Pitru Paksha, when large numbers of people visit the site to perform Shraddh and other ancestral rites.
Pitru Paksha, the annual fortnight dedicated to paying homage to deceased ancestors in Hindu tradition, was observed from September 26 to October 10 this year.
BMC Sets Up Artificials Tanks
To facilitate the rituals while protecting the tank, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) installed 10 artificial tanks for offerings and provided taps for devotees wishing to bathe. According to Sunny Sanap, the municipal councillor from ward D-219, the arrangements use water from the revered tank.
The civic body has also deployed six oxygenation pumps to improve oxygen levels in the water, with additional pumps to be installed if required, Sanap said, as quoted by Mid-day.
Following the fish deaths, ward officials, residents, public representatives and priests who conduct rituals at Banganga Tank met on October 5 to discuss the incident and measures to prevent further damage to the water body.
During the meeting, the ward officer and the area corporator advised priests to guide devotees on conducting rituals in a manner that respects religious practices while addressing environmental concerns.
The barricading and alternative arrangements form part of efforts to prevent further deterioration of the water body while allowing devotees to observe religious traditions during the final days of Pitru Paksha.
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