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Devotees bid a grand farewell to their beloved Lord Ganesh as the immersion of idols began across Maharashtra on Thursday, 12 September, marking the end of the 10-day-long mega festival.
The immersion processions of idols of various mandals in Mumbai, which witnesses maximum festive grandeur, and Pune, the state's cultural capital which hosts one of the best Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, were taken out amid great zeal and enthusiasm on the occasion of 'Anant Chaturdashi'.
Devotees performed one last puja and chanted “Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudachya Varshi Lavkar Ya” (Hail Lord Ganesh, come back fast next year), before carrying the idols of the elephant-headed God on flower-decked vehicles accompanied by troupes of drummers.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who celebrates the festival every year at his official residence in Mumbai, also performed puja before proceeding for the immersion of their eco-friendly Ganesh idol.
In Mumbai, the immersion of idols was being done at 129 places, including Girgaum Chowpatty, Shivaji Park, Juhu, Aksa, Versova and Marve beaches of the Arabian Sea, and several lakes and artificial ponds set up for the purpose.
Around 587 Ganesh idols were immersed till noon at these places, a civic official said.
The immersion processions of the prominent Ganpati mandals, including the Lalbaugcha Raja, Khetwadicha Ganraj and Ganesh Galli at Girgaum, were immersed later in the day.
(With inputs from PTI)
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