Ganpati festival: Themes of Chandrayaan-3, Ayodhya Ram temple to be showcased at Mumbai's pandals

From the launch of Chandrayaan-3 to Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir, Ganesh mandals in Mumbai have gone all out with the themes for their pandals for the Ganpati festival, which begins on September 18. The city is decked up for the 10-day festival, which will culminate on September 28.

Mumbaikars have been thronging the popular shopping spots of the city at Dadar, Crawford Market, and Lohar Chawl, to buy decor items, flowers, and puja materials among other festival paraphernalia.

People are in for a visual treat this year, as the city’s Ganpati mandals have come up with fascinating thematic decorations for their pandals.

Pandal-hoppers will get to see themes of the Chandrayaan-3 launch, Ayodhya Ram Temple, and the 350th anniversary of the coronation of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, showcased by big mandals in the city.

While a majority of the big mandals have already brought their idols to the pandals in grand processions over the last few weeks, household ‘bappas’ will make their way home to the beat of drums and happy chants on Tuesday.

A large number of devotees are expected to visit Lalbaug in central Mumbai to catch a glimpse of Lalbaugcha Raja, one of the most celebrated Ganeshas of the city, followed by GSB Seva Mandal’s Ganpati in Matunga, which is considered the richest and known for its grandeur. Other famous Ganesh mandals are in Chinchpokli, Ganesh Gully and Tejukaya.

Apart from these, people will also get to see the city’s tallest Ganesha at 45 feet in the Khetwadi area of Girgaum.