Idol immersion processions begin in Mumbai as Ganesh festival ends

The festival, which began with 'Ganesh Chaturthi' on September 19, is set to conclude on the 'Anant Chaturdashi' on Thursday with the immersion of idols in the Arabian Sea and other water bodies here.

Crowds thronged the streets of Mumbai and chants of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’ rent the air as the 10-day-long Ganeshutsav drew to a close on Thursday coinciding with Anant Chaturdashi when idols of Lord Ganesha were immersed in Mumbai amid rains and thunder.

An estimated 3.5 to 4 lakh idols of Lord Ganesha - of varying sizes, shapes and themes were immersed, marking the end of the biggest festival of Maharashtra.

A large number of people thronged the Lalbaug-Parel area to see the procession of Mumbaicha Raja of Ganesh Gully, Lalbaugcha Raja, Chintamani of Chinchpokli and Tejukaya, the four big idols of Mumbai.

In the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region and elsewhere in Maharashtra, idols of the pot-bellied elephant-headed-lord were immersed in streams, ponds, lakes, rivers and the Arabian Sea amidst the beating of drums.

People in one voice chanted and threw ‘gulal’ in the air as the big Ganpati idols passed by various streets of Mumbai.

A large crowd was seen at Girgaum Chowpatty, one of the biggest, most popular and crowded immersion sites.

In Mumbai, tight security arrangements were in place with CCTVs across the procession route, aerial surveillance by Coast Guard choppers, drones hovering over immersion spots and police personnel on the streets.