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The 10-day Ganesh festival began in Mumbai, Pune and other parts of Maharashtra on Wednesday, with people enthusiastically welcoming their favourite elephant-headed god into their homes, housing complexes, and public pandals.
Chants of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya, Mangal Murti Morya’ filled the morning air as small, medium and large idols of the deity, accompanied by rhythmic beats of ‘dhol-tasha’(drums), made their way into the devotees’ hearts and homes.
Elaborate decorations have been put up all over Mumbai to welcome the Lord, revered as the harbinger of prosperity and destroyer of obstacles.
For the first time, the Maharashtra government has declared the Ganesh celebrations as a state festival.
Multiple activities, programmes, celebrations and competitions have been organised by the state culture department during these ten days of festivities.
Mandals (groups that celebrate the festival in public places) have been urged to take initiatives to raise awareness of the 12 forts of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that have been accorded the UNESCO World Heritage status as well as Operation Sindoor and the spirit of ‘swadeshi’.
The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, the apex coordinating body of Ganesh mandals in the city has appealed to its members to ensure smooth and disciplined organisation of the festival.
It has also urged the mandals to keep the festival apolitical in view of the upcoming civic polls, stressing that Ganeshotsav is rooted in culture and devotion.
According to the Mumbai police, 17,600 cops will man the streets in the metropolis. A horse mounted police unit, drones, bomb detection and disposal squad and dog squads are also part of their elaborate deployment.
Lakhs of devotees visit some of the popular pandals like ‘Lalbaugcha Raja’ during the festival. Other well-known mandals in the area include Chinchpokli, Ganesh Gully and Tejukaya.
The GSB Seva Mandal at King’s Circle, known for its Lord Ganesha adorned with gold jewellery, is considered one of the wealthiest mandals.
In Pune, a beautifully decorated chariot carried the idol of ‘Shrimant Dagdu Sheth Ganapati’ to the mandap, themed on Kerala’s Padmanabhaswamy temple.
The ‘pran pratishtha’ (consecration) of five ‘Manache Ganapati’ – Kasba Ganapati, Tambdi Jogeshwari Ganapati, Guruji Talim, Tulshibaug Ganapati and Kesari Wada Ganapati – also took place amid great fanfare and devotional fervour.
Many other mandals, including ‘Shrimant Bhausahab Rangari Ganapati’, ‘Akhil Mandai Ganapati’, also installed Ganesh idols amid great pomp.
Other cities in the state have also put in similar arrangements to usher in the festival in a joyous manner.
