Mumbai bids adieu to iconic Ganpatis after marathon immersion processions

Mumbai: Bidding an emotional farewell, vast crowds gathered at Girgaon Chowpatty as iconic idols like Lalbaugcha Raja and Chinchpokhlicha Chintamani were immersed in the sea on Saturday morning following marathon processions lasting over 21 hours.

The immersion processions across the city commenced on Friday morning on Anant Chaturthi, the final day of the 12-day Ganesh festival, stretched through the night, with thousands of devotees accompanying the idols.

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The famous Lalbaugcha Raja was immersed in the Arabian Sea at around 10.50 am amid massive crowds. Following traditional 'puja' and 'aarti', the idol was transferred onto a barge and escorted into deep waters by local fishermen and devotees for the final immersion.

Notably, industrialist Mukesh Ambani's son, Anant Ambani, who visited the Lalbaugcha Raja pandal multiple times during the festival and joined the procession, was present on the barge during the immersion.

Among other prominent idols, the Chinchpokhlicha Chintamani was immersed around 10 am, followed by the Ballaleshwar idol of the Bal Ganesh Mandal from Lalbaug at approximately 11 am.

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Civic officials said that while most immersion processions across Mumbai have concluded, a few large idols were still awaiting immersion at various city beaches as of Saturday afternoon.

To ensure safe immersions across 67 natural sites and 383 artificial ponds, the Mumbai Police deployed over 24,000 personnel, while the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) posted 25,000 staffers, alongside lifeguards, medical teams, and heavy cranes.

With the 12-day festival coming to an end, civic sanitation workers have started cleanup operations at immersion points and major procession routes.