Over 66,700 Ganesh Idols Immersed in Mumbai, No Untoward Incidents Reported

As of Thursday morning, more than 66,700 Ganesh idols have been placed in Mumbai's numerous waterways, according to city officials. According to them, the idol immersion process has so far gone without any unfortunate incidents.

The idols of the deity are typically immersed after one and a half days, five days, seven days, and ten days, or as per family traditions, as part of the 10-day Ganeshotsav, which is dedicated to the elephant-headed god.

Up till 6 am on Thursday, 66,785 "one-and-a-half-day" Ganapati statues were submerged in the sea and other water bodies, including manmade ponds, according to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities.

The idols were removed and submerged as "Ganapati Bappa Morya" chants, drumming, music, and dancing were being performed.

According to BMC authorities, of the immersion figures so far, 66,435 were home Ganapati idols and 350 were "sarvajanik" or community idols.

They claimed there were 27,736 idols submerged in man-made ponds placed throughout the city to prevent the contaminating of natural water sources. Of these, 27,564 were'sarvajanik' domestic Ganapati idols.

The BMC asserted that "no untoward incident was reported anywhere during the immersion."

This year, the BMC has designated 69 natural water bodies for immersion, including stretches off the coast, and built 191 artificial ponds.

One of the biggest celebrations in Mumbai and other areas of Maharashtra is Ganeshotsav. During the 10-day celebrations that begin on Ganesh Chaturthi (September 19 this year) and culminate on Anant Chaturdashi (September 28 this year), idols of the deity are brought home and erected at pandals.