Over 38,000 idols immersed in Mumbai on fifth day of Ganesh festival

Mumbai: More than 38,000 Ganesh idols have been immersed in Mumbai on the fifth day of the Ganpati festival, civic officials said on Thursday.

No untoward incident was reported anywhere during the immersion, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.

The 10-day festival began with the Ganesh Chaturthi on September 7.

Of the 38,717 idols immersed in the sea and artificial ponds in the city from Wednesday till 6 am on Thursday, 37,569 were from households and 1,095 belonged to sarvajanik mandals' (community groups), BMC officials said.

During the 10-day Ganpati festival, devotees usually bid farewell to idols of the elephant-headed God after one-and-a-half days, five days and seven days. The final immersion process is held on the last day (Anant Chaturdashi).

Of the Ganesh idols immersed on the fifth day, 14880, including 14,555 household idols and 338 public idols, were put in artificial ponds, set up to avoid pollution of natural water bodies.

As many as 53 'Hartalika' idols were also immersed on the fifth day of the festival, BMC officials said.

Ganeshotsav is one of the biggest festivals in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. The festivities will end with Anant Chaturdashi on September 17 this year.