Mumbai: Thousands of devotees gathered at Girgaon Chowpatty in south Mumbai amid rains and tight security on Sunday morning to bid farewell to the iconic Lalbaugcha Raja and other idols of the elephant-headed deity, marking the culmination of the 10-day Ganesh festival.
The immersion processions of major public Ganesh mandals, including the famous Lalbaugcha Raja, commenced on Saturday on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi and continued overnight before reaching the seafront early Sunday, officials said.
The 10-day Ganpati festival drew to a close with vibrant processions beginning from Lalbaug in central Mumbai, famous for its iconic mandals, including Tejukaya and Ganesh Gully.
At Shroff Building in Lalbaug, crowds gathered for the traditional “pushpa vrishti” (flower shower) on the Lalbaugcha Raja idol around 5.30 pm on Saturday.
The procession of Lalbaugcha Raja moved through Byculla by 11 pm and has reached Girgaon Chowpatty for immersion on Sunday morning. The route includes Byculla, Nagpada, Don Taki, and Goldevool before reaching the seafront in south Mumbai.
The Rangari Badak Chawl procession was the first to receive pushpavrishti at Shroff Building, followed by the Cotton Green cha Raja Ganesh idol. The Seva Sadan Mandal highlighted Marathi pride by using an icon of “Abhijat Marathi,” after Marathi was declared a classical language this year.
Major processions from Lalbaug, Parel, Kalachowki, and other areas of central Mumbai began their journey towards immersion sites after 1.30 pm, with devotees dancing, singing, and chanting prayers along the way.
