On the second day of the 10-day Ganesh festival in Mumbai, several devotees bid farewell to the idols of their beloved deity after worshiping them for one and a half days. These devotees organized processions to carry the idols to the immersion sites, marked by a display of devotion and enthusiasm. Many of them danced joyfully as they made their way to the locations designated for immersion.
According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), 195 household Ganapati idols and one sarvajanik (community) Ganapati idols were immersed in the sea and other water bodies, including artificial ponds. As many as 50 Ganpati idols were immersed in artificial ponds that have been created specifically to reduce water pollution, the BMC said. No untoward incident was reported anywhere during immersion so far on Wednesday, officials said.
The BMC has earmarked 69 natural water bodies, including stretches off the coast, and set up 191 artificial ponds for immersion this year. The 10-day Ganeshotsav began in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday, with the installation of idols of the elephant-headed God in various shapes and sizes at several households and in pandals against the backdrop of decorations based on themes ranging from Chandrayaan-3 to Ayodhya's Ram Mandir. The festival will end on Anant Chaturdashi on September 28.