Mumbai: Ganpati Bappa, the beloved deity of Maharashtra, will leave for immersion on Tuesday after a 10-day stay. In Mumbai, the Ganesha idols from public mandals and household Ganpatis will be immersed in a grand procession. Most of the large mandal idols in Mumbai will be immersed at Girgaon Chowpatty, with the immersion expected to continue until the next morning. However, this year’s Ganesh Visarjan is likely to happen earlier than usual as high tide is expected around 11 PM on Tuesday. This tide will persist for a considerable duration, creating potentially dangerous conditions for immersion.
Lalbaughcha Raja, Mumbaicha Raja, and a few other Ganpatis are transported on rafts to deep waters for immersion. Meanwhile, the activists from various groups lift the idols of Lord Ganesha and carry them to the sea for immersion. If high tide occurs, immersion may not be feasible, prompting many public mandals to plan for earlier immersions, including the King of Khetwadi.
In light of recent inspections by the State Fisheries Development Department, there is a warning for devotees regarding the presence of harmful marine life near the beaches. The Municipal Corporation has urged citizens to exercise caution while immersing Ganesha idols into the sea. The fisheries department confirmed the presence of biting fish and dangerous marine creatures in Girgaon and Dadar Chowpatty, including Dhomi, prawns, sting rays, jellyfish, blue jellyfish, Shingti, Ghoda Mas, and Chote Raas. A sting ray was notably found during the inspections, prompting further caution for devotees during the immersion.
The Mumbaicha Raja left his mandap for immersion at 8:30 AM today. This Ganpati is expected to reach Girgaon Chowpatty by evening. Prior to that, a grand procession will take place in Mumbai, drawing many devotees to the Lalbaugh area. Following the immersion of the Raja of Bombay, Ganesha idols from other public bodies will begin their departures for immersion one by one.