Ganesh Chaturthi Updates: Over 21,000 Police Personnel Deployed in Chennai for Idol Immersion; Lalbaugcha Raja-like Pandal Draws Devotees in Lucknow

Ganesh Chaturthi Updates: After two years of pandemic restrictions, states across the country are ramping up celebrations for Ganesh Chaturthi this year. The ten-day festival, where idols of the popular deity are installed in homes and decorated pandals by devotees, commenced on Wednesday with a bang.

While the festival continues for ten days, many bid adieu to the idol after one and a half day and immerse the idols in water bodies. States and cities across the country have made provisions for immersion rituals in artificial tanks, other water bodies and seas. Mumbai, which celebrates Ganeshotsav with much pomp, saw over 60,000 idols immersed on Thursday with no untoward incident, while Chennai has deployed heavy police personnel to ensure smooth conduct.

As the festival continues on its third day, here are the latest updates on Ganesh Chaturthi from across states:

• Mumbai sees a large number of devotees going ‘pandal-hopping’ after two years of Covid restrictions, especially in central Mumbai areas of Lalbaug, Parel and Girgaon where some famous Ganesh Mandals install the idols. This year, Lalbaugcha Raja is once again attracting huge crowds which are expected to swell further from the weekend onward, PTI reports.

• In Lucknow, a pandal resembling the grand Lalbaugcha Raja pandal Mumbai is drawing in devotees. Organised by Ganesh Puja Patrakarpuram Samiti, the pandal has a 17 by 13 feet idol riding a chariot, as per the Times of India. The idol, made by Kolkata-based artists, took 15 days to complete.

• Over 21,000 police personnel have been deployed in Chennai to ensure that the Ganesh Chaturthi immersion rituals are carried out without any untoward incidents, the Indian Express reported. The police have identified four spots where the idols can be immersed and specific routes for immersion processions. According to a police statement issued on Thursday, permission was granted to install 2,554 idols in areas that fall under Greater Chennai Corporation, Tambaram and Avadi Commissionerate.

• As many as 60,473 Ganesh idols were immersed in Mumbai on Thursday, after the one and a half day mark, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said in a release. It included 60,122 household Ganesh idols. No untoward incident was reported so far.

• The idol of Lord Ganesh at Mumbai’s GSB Seva Mandal has been adorned with 66 kg of gold & 295 kg of silver donated by devotees.

• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday visited the residence of a close aid of rival Uddhav Thackeray, for Ganesh Chaturthi. Milind Narvekar is the personal secretary of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. Shinde, who rebelled against Thackeray’s leadership in June and toppled his government, said he paid visit to Narvekar’s residence to pay obeisance to Lord Ganesh. The visit also assumed significance as Narvekar is considered to be a close confidant of Uddhav Thackeray.

• CM Shinde also visited the residence of billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani, Antilia for Ganesh Darshan along with Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

He later called on Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) President Raj Thackeray and his family at their new home Shivtirth in Dadar. Amid speculation, Shinde told reporters that there was no political discussion with Raj Thackeray and the duo reminisced on old times.

• In Goa, Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandals are celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi with zeal after a two year Covid break. Thousands of Ganesh devotees have been these mandals.

• The Bandra West Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal’s Ganesh pandal replicates Kathmandu’s famous Pashupatinath temple in Mumbai.

• Three MNS workers in Mumbai who were seen abusing and assaulting an elderly woman when she objected to their putting up a Ganeshotsav advertising banner outside her shop were detained on Thursday.

The Nagpada police have detained three people – Vinod Argyle, Raju Argyle and Satish Lad – and registered a criminal case under sections of the IPC, an official said.

In a video of the incident that occurred on Sunday but went viral on Thursday, the woman and the MNS activists were seen in a heated argument, and as she kept refusing, Argyle could be seen slapping her, pushing her, giving her a punch in the stomach, and shoving her as she fell on the pavement.

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi called his behavior shameful and asked that he be suspended from all party posts. “It’s totally unacceptable and shameful behavior. It’s not Maharashtra’s culture. He (MNS leader) should publicly apologize to all the women of Maharashtra. I demand MNS chief Raj Thackeray to suspend him from all party posts,” she said on Friday.

(With agency inputs)

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