Mumbai households give emotional farewell to Lord Ganesh

Hundreds of devotees bid a tearful goodbye to Lord Ganesh as they took out the idols of the elephant-headed deity for immersion after one and a half days.

The 10-day Ganesh festival began in the city with pomp and gaiety on Saturday, with families and ‘savajanik mandals’ (public groups) installing the idols of their beloved god at homes and community pandals.

The idols taken out for immersion on Sunday afternoon were from households. The idols are to be immersed in the sea and artificial ponds, created by the civic body.

The immersion of idols is being done smoothly and no untoward incidents have been reported so far, civic authorities said.

As many as 12,000 personnel have been deployed to help citizens with the idol immersion off the beaches and 204 artificial ponds across the city and suburbs. As many as 71 control rooms have been set up, said officials.

They said that 761 lifeguards and 48 motor boats have been pressed into service at the beaches.

The civic body has also made facilities to collect the ‘nirmalya’ (flowers and other offerings) brought with the idols.