Why Do We Perform Ganesh Immersion or Visarjan

Visarjan is a Sanskrit word for the final act of respectfully requesting departure, usually related to a God or Goddess. Now, we all are familiar with the meaning of this word, but visually we relate to Visarjan as a day of commotions and pollution, in every celebrating part of the country, which not only breaks our heart but also makes us ponder over the whole idea of disintegrating the creation of something which was regarded with such fervor just a few days ago. Hence arises the prime question on why exactly the god and goddesses are immersed in water and what exactly is the significance of a Visarjan.

The whole essence of Ganpati Visarjan is based on the philosophy of the Earth balancing the power and energy of Lord Ganesha to even out the universe.

The entire basis of the festival is held on the concept that during the first day of the Utsava, the idol is bought into the houses which is also called to be known as Prana Prathista, symbolizing the presence of the deity in the idol. After the  Ganpati, Navratri, the power and energy of the lord is said to reach to an unfathomable peak, making it impossible for anyone else, but the Bhu Mata (Mother Earth, also a form of Goddess Shakti) to control it. So, the idea of immersing the idol in water lies in reason that Earth tends to calm the power of Ganesha, with him going back to his heavenly abode.

Another version on the procession of Ganpati Visarjan depicts it in a different light, where it almost acts as an instrument of balance in environment. It says that idols are made of the old clay that is dug up from several water bodies, while getting them to prepare as reservoirs, for the oncoming monsoon season. Once the Puja is done, the idol still clad with the kumkum and turmeric tilak and garland of herbs and flowers from the Navratri is put down to rest from its same area origin. Now one may think of the logical reasoning behind this entire process, of immersing the idol from the same place of its immersion. The reason for this is that while the clay goes back to where it came from, the particles of the herbs, turmeric and others serve as food for the aquatic life in the water bodies.

Viewing from a layman’s perception, one may think of how such an ecologically well thought festival, with a background supporting its environment preserving nature, can be called to be known as India’s toxic festival? The answer lies in the inventions of the new age of modernity and development. With statues made of Plaster of Paris, chemical paints, harmful concoctions, the new age have twisted the entire process and meaning behind celebrating festivals.

However, a ray of hope lies in the fact that an emerging trend of environmentally aware society, would together thread back the path to the true sense of festival and we celebrate it in the beautiful way that it was all throughout supposed to be.

Source: https://www.wheresmypandit.com/blog/why-do-we-perform-ganesh-immersion-or-visarjan

The Female Ganesha

Hinduism as a religion involves the worship of not just one, but many deities. Each of these deities does not exist only as male or female Gods. In fact, every divine being has a male and a female form.

Their existence establishes essence only when they exist in their male and female avatars, signifying the complete circle of life. While the male avatar stands for mental power, the female avatar of a divine being represents the physical state of power or the ‘Shakti’. Lord Vishnu’s female avatar is known as Vaishnavi, Lord Indra’s female avatar is called Indrani, and Lord Brahma’s female avatar is called Brahmini. Similarly, Lord Ganesha too is complimented by his female avatar, Vinayaki, who is also called Ganeshvari.

The story about the female avatar of Lord Ganesha involves different interpretations. According to one interpretation, the demon Asura wanted Goddess Parvati to be his wife, and tried to obtain her by force. She appealed to her husband, Lord Shiva, who immediately raised His trident and impaled the demon. However, this demon possessed a certain magic power which turned every drop of his blood into another demon. The only way left to kill him was to ensure that not even a single drop of the demon’s blood would fall to the ground. Parvati was aware that every God is a combination of the male and female avatar, implying a combination of mental and physical state of power. Therefore, She called out to all the Shaktis who, on Her request, released. Their female energies to drink the blood of the demon so as to ensure his death. Among all these Shaktis, there was also present the female form of Lord Ganesha- Vinayaki or Ganeshvari.

This idea of a female elephant-headed deity is very important in the Tantric rituals, as these rituals prefer the worship of the divine female rather than the male dominant form. It was only with these tantric practices that the popularity of the female goddesses grew, as these practitioners believed in the generative powers of the female. The female is considered the source of all material resources that are responsible for the continuity of life. As a result, there now exists a divide between sages- one group that gives more importance to the mental strength, hence focusing worship on the male deities, and the other group veered towards material resources, hence focussing worship on the female deities.

Moreover, there are also a group of scholars who have yet another interpretation of the female Ganesha. The Puranic texts mention an elephant headed companion of Lord Ganesha, called Malini, who was also the nursemaid of the Lord. This has made some scholars think that the female Ganesha was not a Goddess or a female avatar, but an exaggerated form of Malini, the nursemaid.

Despite all of these variances in the approach and debates among sages, it is important to note that this female Ganesha is acknowledged on the occasion of Vinayaki Chaturthi which falls on the fourth day after the new moon appears.

Source: https://www.wheresmypandit.com/blog/the-female-ganesha

Symbolism of Lord Ganesha’s Body

We all know the legendary tale behind the Elephant head of Lord Ganesha. However, there’s much more to it. Lord Ganesha in His entirety carries an appearance that woos many hearts and mesmerises them. Such is His figure and interesting, every part of His body has come to symbolize a great meaning through which a learning can be derived.

To begin with, the unique feature of Lord Ganesha is His Elephant Head. The elephant symbolises Gyan Shakti and Karma Shakti, therefore its principal qualities being Wisdom and effortlessness. The head of the elephant has come to signify wisdom and knowledge. As the elephant with the help of his trunk can both uproot a strong tree and pick up a fine blade of a grass, in Ganesha's body, the trunk of Ganesha primarily symbolizes that wisdom which is necessary to differentiate good from bad.

The big belly which we generally identify with Lord Ganesha represents generosity and total acceptance. On observing carefully, we will notice that in most idols, one hand of the Lord is shown upraised, while the other hand is shown facing downward, facing outwards. The upraised hand is a symbol depiction protection, implying the motive of “Fear not, I am with you”. The palm facing outward points towards endless giving and is an indication to bow down which is indicative towards the universal reality that we all ultimately dissolve into earth. The lotus in his hands is a symbol of enlightenment. The other hand that holds hatchet is a symbol of that enlightened soul which has abstained himself from all the material possessions. Further, the large ears of Ganesha symbolizes his acknowledgement of the prayers by his devotees.

Lord Ganesha is always shown with a mouse, his chosen mode of transport. The question is, why the mouse? Mice are known for snipping and nibbling away at ropes that bind things. Therefore, the mouse is like a mantra which can cut through ignorance, leading to ultimate knowledge. It is also believed that since mouse is often called the symbol of greed, hence Ganesha, who rides on a mouse symbolizes that greed should be controlled by the wisdom of a person.

Hence, Lord Ganesha is not only a God with the head of an elephant. The reality to this Lord runs much deeper than this.

Source: https://www.wheresmypandit.com/blog/symbolism-of-lord-ganeshas-body

Fighting the After Effects of Ganesh Chaturthi Celebration

A day after the Ganpati Visarjan, in the wee hours of early morning, Juhu beach, located in suburban Mumbai wakes up to, quite an unpleasant sight. The beach, popular with the Visarjan procession lays bare as a witness, to the brunt of the extravagant and emotional adieu the city gave to its favorite deity.

Later in the day, the entire stretch of the beach exhibits half broken bodies of idol all piled up around the beach, as groups of young men drag the other lot from the sea of filthy brown water waves carrying polythene, thermocol and paint crashes by.

This is not just the story of Juhu beach, but of all those water bodies that been subjected to incalculable pollution during the festive season in the city. Chowpatty beach, at a distance of 1km drive from Marine Drive, is another spot that has been regarded as a favored venue for the devotees. For years this has become a common sight for the Mumbaikers who treat it as a common occurrence to happens after every festival.

It is in such situations that the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) faces one of their toughest and never ending challenges of cleaning up the city. But with experience of the same state of affairs over years, they immediate set to the task and conduct huge clean up drives. Loaders are appointed to carry the large statues that is to be disposed off while the smaller remnants are raked up by the volunteers.

In this case the general public also plays a very big part, assisting the municipality and also maintaining their civic duty. Undeterred and unflinchingly, the city goers take full responsibility and come out together to work towards bringing back the ecological stability of the city. The huge mass clean- drive is joined by enthusiastic students from various schools and colleges, NGO members, government civic officials, along with volunteers. Age is not a matter when even the elderly come out and join the activity with utmost sincerity as the debris not only is an ugly sight but also hurts sentiments of the devotees to look at the idols of their deities lying around like garbage.

In pursuit of the clean city and environment support, WheresMyPandit has also joined hands with civic bodies and will run the cleaning drives at various visarjan locations in Mumbai.

The consciousness of the movement reaches as far as high society of the who’s who of Mumbai. Celebrities and ministers, also get into the dirt to clean up the choas, which accelerates the advertising of the cause and attracting more and more individuals to join it.

With over 6000 idols commissioned every year to Mumbai, the job of cleaning the remnants of the Visarjan can be quite tough job but that doesn’t affect the decisiveness of the Marathi manoos to make up for the disarray of the city’s organization. Though the invention of artificial ponds and several other green measures has been a welcome boon for the city however still a large population of worshippers remain undeterred by the fact of the festivals polluting the environment to a great extent.

Source: https://www.wheresmypandit.com/blog/fighting-the-after-effects-of-ganesh-chaturthi-celebration

12 Life Lessons by Lord Ganesha

Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi is considered to be the God of wisdom, prosperity and new beginnings. His preaching enlighten the lives of his devotees and show them the path to salvation. This is the spirit Lord Ganesha that touches the heart of each one of us. The ambience created by his presence rejuvenates us to every possible extend.

Lord Ganesha’s every body part symbolizes a unique life lesson which is empirical and helpful in uplifting our lives. There are numerous things that one can learn from this powerful yet wise Lord. Some of these life lessons that one can learn from Lord Ganesha are mentioned below.

Lesson1: Think Big
One should keep the morale high and think big. Ganesha’s big head is a symbol of intelligence and immense brain power which empowers and makes you take path less travelled.

Lesson 2: Listen more
It is important to listen as many times we miss out on small details that we might have acknowledged if we have had bothered to hear. Ganesh’s big ears denote the ability to listen to his devotees. Listening also help in gaining knowledge and absorbing ideas.

Lesson3: Concentrate
It is important for us to concentrate on what is important and rewarding rather than what is not. Also, this makes things more organized and manageable. Lord Ganesha’s small eye represents concentration and focus.

“A person who has control on his mind, can achieve success in his life”

Lesson 4: Master the time
It is important to be the master of your time, to govern the clocks and not to be governed by it. It’s all about how well one time oneself. Ganesh’s Urdha mark on his forehead represents the master of time.

Lesson 5: Overcome dualism
It is important for us to acknowledge the good and bad experiences of our lives. Learn from the adversities and restore the good ones. One has to move ahead and overcome the dualism. It is important to introspect and keep the good habits, thoughts and give up on the bad ones.

Lord Ganesha’s single tusk represents and signifies to overcome duality.

Lesson 6: Virtue of Calmness
Panic and anxiety make us loose our ability of judgment. Hence are unable to conform to the situation. On the other hand keeping calm will let one have peace of mind, efficiency at work and better judgment. This virtue helps one to analyze good and bad, and look beyond that. One is able to swallow the sorrows and live a happy life. Ganesha’s Big belly signifies the virtue of calmness and represents the infinite universe.

Lesson 7: Social and spiritual life
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha’s resting position signifies the importance of way of living. One should have social as well as spiritual life equally balanced. One should engage oneself in the society, help the fellow beings and appreciate Lord’s creation.

Lesson 8: Respect your parents
According to the mythological story, once Kartikey who is Lord Ganesha’s younger brother, teased him for being lazy. In that context he challenged him that whoever will come first to Mount Kailash after having completed three rounds of the Earth will win. Lord Ganesha used his intelligence and took his three rounds around Lord Shiva and Parvati. When he was accused by his brother of false play, Ganesha replied that the entire world rests in his parent’s feet. One should devote oneself in service of his parents.

Lesson 9: Sweetness and devotion
The fourth arm of Lord Ganesha holding Modaka, symbolizes the sweetness of self-realization. One should always keep a sense of purity and give up with attributes of jealousy and envy

Lesson 10: Detachment
Lord Ganesha with a hand waving an axe is a symbol of detachment of all desires, bearers of pain and suffering. One can achieve true happiness if he will work without the desire or expectation of reward. One should detach oneself from materialistic worldly desires.

Lesson 11: Being optimistic and ambitious
The second hand of Lord Ganesha holding a rope and lotus is a symbol of highest goal of human evolution and that God will ultimately pull you through the rope.

Lesson12: Logic and doubt
It is good to use ones logic while addressing the problems. But at the same time logic always might not serve the purpose. Hence it is equally important to be cautious. These attributes will help one in becoming a good leader. His Mouse symbolizes logic and doubt.

Source: https://www.wheresmypandit.com/blog/12-life-lessons-by-lord-ganesha

Pola – The Bull Festival of Maharashtra

In India, there are a number of unique and varied festivals. One of such, is the festival of bull-worshiping, known as Pola. This festival is mainly celebrated by the farmers, in the Vidharbha region of Maharashtra and also in some districts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. This special occasion falls in Shravan month, the equivalent of Georgian August, on Pithori Amavasya, which is the new moon day. The term “Pithori”, comes from the phenomenon when the sky looks like wheat flour spread all over the sky.

On this day, farmers worship their bulls and show their appreciation for their cattle. The day starts with the farmers washing their bulls clean and decorating them with bright paint, and adorning them with fresh flower garlands and beautiful ornaments. As the sun sets, farmers along with their bulls, lead a procession in the village, which is accompanied by the people singing and dancing to the beat of drums. It is said that, the oldest bull goes out first with a wooden frame tied on its horns, which is known as Makhar. Then it is made to break a rope made up of mango leaves stretched between two poles, and the rest of the cattle follows the old bull’s lead. A number of sumptuous, mouth-watering dishes like Puran Poli, Karanji curry with five vegetables is enjoyed by the villagers on this occasion. Few cities also organise fairs which attracts a lot of people due to the fun and exciting competitions and games they offer. For the ones who don’t have a bull at their house, they worship the little wooden idols of bull and enjoy this unique festival in their own way.

One day prior to the festival, farmers remove the rope called vasan from the nostrils of their bulls. After that, a paste made up of ground nut oil and turmeric powder is gently applied on their shoulder, similar to how people are treated before an auspicious occasion. The day after the festival, the new season of farming starts as the farmers start to plough and sow the land anew. The festival marks the last day of the farming season in that region.

There’s a tale behind why the festival is called Pola. Once young Lord Krishna was sitting by a tree alone and he was attacked by a demon bull named Polasur. After confronting the wild bull, Lord Krishna killed him. That is why, children are also given special treatment on this day.

In India, as a significant part of the population relies on agriculture for their livelihood, the farmers realise and acknowledge the importance and significance of bulls in helping them cultivate the land, among other tasks, as many farmers cannot afford modern tools and instruments. So, to show their appreciation and gratitude, this day is held to celebrate the bulls and their importance.

This festival shows us how ancient Hindus respected their animals, including cattle. It teaches us to be gentle and kind to them, and makes us realise the importance of them in our lives. This festival is a perfect way to celebrate them and reward them with the care and unconditional love they deserve for helping the humans in many different ways.

Dahi Handi

Mumbai is famous as being one of the most culturally vibrant cities of not only the state of Maharashtra, but of all the cities of India. All festivals celebrated in this city receive equal zeal and enthusiasm. As a typical Indian b-wood audience, we’ve all heard the “Ala re ala, Govinda ala” song, and that too more than once, definitely. This song is usually in sync with the scene showing the ritual of Dahi Handi.

However, is this one typical Bollywood scene enough to know all that there is to know about the festival of Dahi Handi or is there more to it?

The festival of Dahi Handi is celebrated on the day following the day of Janmasthmi. In fact, Dahi Handi is celebrated as part of the Krishna Janmashtmi festival during the Hindu month of Shravan.

As most Hindus already know, Janmashtmi is not a recent occurrence, but has a history of many years. Many folklores have been related to the birth of Lord Krishna. One folklore states that Krishna was born to kill Kansa, the demon king of Mathura. He is believed to be a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, and the purpose of His existence was to establish a kingdom of peace and prosperity, and to spread the message of brotherhood and humanity.

Lord Krishna is widely worshipped, both in his childhood form as Govinda, and in his youth as Lord Krishna. The celebration of His birth usually lasts for two days. On the first day, dance performances are conducted, showing different phases of Krishna’s life. The Lord is commemorated at the end of the day, precisely at midnight, through aartis and bhajans. The second day is entirely devoted to the celebration of the ritual of Dahi Handi.

To an outsider, or a non-Hindu, this ritual might seem more like an activity, or a dangerous adventure of some sort. But this ritual holds a lot of religious significance.

The festival of Dahi Handi borrows inspiration from the experiences of Govinda, the childhood form of Lord Krishna. Govinda was notorious for stealing butter from the earthen pots left hanging in the houses of Govardhan (Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh) with the help of his friends, by forming human pyramids. It is a famous Bal Krishna Leela narrated in Puranas.

Today, most cities in Maharashtra celebrate dahi handi as a unique festival. People, who participate in the breaking of the dahi handi, or the bucket of curd or butter, are called Govindas. They form human pyramids to reach the curd/butter pots hung at a height between 20-30 feet. Sometimes, a series of pots are piled up using ropes, and each pot differs in content with the other, contents varying from curd, butter, butter milk etc. Silver coins are also tied to the pots, and are given to the winners, on reaching the pots successfully.

An added challenge is that water is sprayed on the people continuously while they try to reach the pot, in an effort to distract them. In recent years, huge monetary rewards have also come to be associated with the ritual. The higher the handi, the more rewards it holds.

This ritual of Dahi Handi was started to portray the playful and mischievous nature of Lord Krishna, and at the same time, carries a spiritual philosophy with it.

Some say that the pot is the ego that dangles in the grasp of the Samsara, while the curd or butter that forms the content is the body (or the being). The Lord breaks the pot to release the content from the binding Samsara, hence implying that it is a spiritual attempt to release ego from one’s mind.

However, even though this festival holds a lot of religious and spiritual importance, one cannot ignore the risks involved in the performance of this act.

Durva – An Essential Ingredient in Ganesh Puja

In Hinduism, we often notice that during every kind of worship, the dais of deities, where they are worshipped, is always covered with flowers. And so temple gates are lined with people selling strings and baskets of different kinds of flowers. We also have a tradition of hanging certain kinds of flowers on our doors on the day of Diwali. Moreover, mango leaves are known to play a very important role in the process of prayer.

It is interesting to know that some deities are associated with some specific flowers. Similarly, Lord Ganesha too has His favourite food and flowers. Lord Ganesha is known to be fond of modaks; flowers or leaves around him fail to leave an impression. But it would be interesting to know that offering a red hibiscus to Lord Ganesha, along with the conch flower and the milkweed flower can help you please Him easily. However, along with these flowers, legends state that Durva Grass was a special preference of this deity.

This could make one wonder, why a simple grass amongst all the beautiful flowers that the Mother Nature has blessed us with? This, too, has some stories behind it.

One story states that there was a very beautiful Apsara who fell in love with Lord Ganesha, and prayed to get married to him. Lord Ganesh, too, wanted to marry her. However, Goddess Parvati, Ganesha’s mother did not particularly like her and cursed the Apsara to be transformed into simple Durva grass, so insignificant that nobody would like her. While this could prevent the marriage between the Apsara and Lord Ganesha, this still couldn’t keep the Apsara away from the Lord, since the grass was around the Lord all the time. Another legend suggests a different story altogether.

It is said that a grand event was held in the city of Yama one day, where many dancers and fairies had come to entertain the Yamraj. During the festivities, Lord Yama fell in love with one of them, and consequently, a huge demon, Analasura, was born.

Analasura’s voice alone could make the earth tremble, and His eyes would emit fire. He was capable of destroying everything wherever He went, to the extent that He was not even fearful of the Gods. As a result, all Gods prayed to Lord Ganesha, asking Him to rescue them from the clutches of this devil. Lord Ganesha appeared as Bal Ganesha and approached the demon but the demon’s eyes emitted fire balls and destroyed the surrounds of Bal Ganesha. Seeing the tiny form of the Lord, Analasura scorned and laughed at Him but Bal Ganesh then transformed into his huge avatar of Lord Ganesha and gulped down Analasura. However, due to the sudden increase of heat in his body, the Lord collapsed to the ground. All other Lords tried their best to cure the Lord of this sudden collapse, but nothing worked. Following this, a large group of sages came with some Durva which they put on the Lord’s forehead. Due to the effect of the leaves the burning sensation in the Lord’s body subsided, and Lord Ganesh declared that a simple grass did what nothing else could do. With this, He announced that any devotion, performed with Durva leaves, would be the most pious, and the devotee would be blessed with punya which will be equal to thousands of pilgrimages and donations.

Hence, this could be one of the many reasons why Durva grass is so special in Ganesh Puja.

Some religious studies state that a minimum of 21 Durva should be offered to the Lord, after tying them up together and dipping them into the water. The entire idol of the deity, except for the face, must be covered with the Durva, in order to let the fragrance spread. Also, blossomed Durva must be avoided, and only tender ones should be used.

Seven Famous Ganesh Mandals in Pune

Ganesh Chaturthi is a widely celebrated festival, which is famous not only in Mumbai, but in the entire state of Maharashtra. The people of Pune too celebrate it with just pure bliss, exhilaration and devotion mixed with a tinge of Peshwa culture.

Following are a Few Famous Ganesh Mandals in Pune:

1. Shri Kasba Ganpati:

Established in 1893, the mandal leads the immersion procession in Pune and all other mandals follow them. During the celebrations, the idol is placed in a silver palkhi and the devotees carry it around on their shoulders.
After rounds on the palkhi, the idol of Ganpati rests on a silver throne placed in the centre of the stage. This mandal is located in Kasba Peth

2. Shri Tambi Jogeshwari Ganpati:

This mandal was also established in 1893 and is located in Appa Bulwant Chauk at Budhwar Peth and holds the honour of second Ganpati in Pune.

What makes this mandal special is that Bal Gangadhar Tilak started this mandal for the unity and social activeness during the freedom struggle, bringing everyone closer for a common cause.

3. Guruji Talim Ganpati:

This mandal is located in Ganpati Chowk, Laxmi Road and was established in 1887. It is revered as the oldest Ganesh mandal in Pune, and is honoured as the third most significant Ganpati in the city.

It is also well-known for its decorations and replicas of temples and popular monuments. Being one of the oldest mandals in the city, it adds its essence to the city and the celebrations of the widely popular festival which was undertaken to promote Hindu-Muslim unity.

4. Tulsi Ram Baug Ganpati Mandal:

This mandal was established 1901 at Tulsi Ram Baug. Honoured as the fourth significant Ganpati in Pune, it is famous for big Ganesha idols, and also holds a record of making the first Ganesh idol from fibre glass that was ever made.

5. Kesariwada Ganeshotsav Trust:

Established in 1893 at Narayanpeth Tilakwada, this trust holds honour of the fifth most magnificent Ganpati idol in Pune.

This pandal is famous for its social and cultural extravaganza conducted during the festivities for the children and enthusiasts.

6. Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Trust:

Established in 1893 Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Trust is most famous and the richest mandal in Pune. A temple is built around the idol of Ganesha. The trust celebrates the festival with great zest and the same idol each year,

The festival ends with a phenomenal procession and a symbolic submersion of the idol. It is also the most revered Ganpati, not just by the people of Pune but the world over.

7. Hatti Ganpati Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal:

It is very famous for its attractive decorations and beautiful elaborate layouts. Puja and rituals are attended by dedicate devotees who never miss the celebrations organized by the Hatti Ganpati mandal.

Seven Famous Ganesh Mandals in Mumbai

Lord Ganesha is the most famous and dearly worshipped by people in India. Hence Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in the country, especially in Mumbai.

The enthusiasm of the people in the city is evident in the vibrant culture that captures every ones imagination. All pandals observe this festival do it with utmost zeal and religious fervour. However there are few, who standout in the crowd with their uniqueness – be it the size of Ganesha Murti, the cultural feast they celebrate or even the social message few of them carry. Then there are some with immense history, backed by the unshaken faith of their followers. Some of the famous Ganesh mandals in Mumbai are:

  1. Lalbaugcha Raja:

One of the oldest and most revered Lord Ganesha is Lalbaugcha Raja and is famously known as ‘Navsacha Ganpati’- The one who fulfils all the wishes. The length of this bee-line of devotees only confirms the immense faith the people bear on him.

History has it that the mandal was formed to bring the first Ganesha idol in 1934 to fulfil a vow to create the Lalbaug Market by local fishermen. It has now around 1.5 million people daily during the festival.

The design of the idol of Lord Ganesha remains same since years and now is patented and made each year by the Kambli family (of Kambli Arts) since 1953.

  2. Mumbai cha Raja:

Few lanes away from the Lalbaugcha Raja is the famous Mumbai cha Raja. Some say it lost its charm to the Lalbaugcha Raja, but it still has the ability to pull large crowds towards itself.

What makes this mandal so famous is the introduction of new themes every year, often presenting a replica of a famous place in India. The theme in 2014 resembled the ancient temple of Jejuri near Puni. This mandal was formed for the benefit of the mill workers in 1928, making it the oldest one in the area.
It is located in Ganesh Galli, Lalbaug (Central Mumbai).

   3. Khetwadi Ganraj:

This mandal was founded in 1959, but it received extreme popularity in 2000 when it made the highest Ganesha idol in Indian history, standing tall at 40 feet. What made it more spectacular was that the idol was decorated with real gold jewellery. One year, the idol studded with real diamonds.
Another attraction happens to be that while visiting this mandal, one can spot a Ganesha idol in mostly all lanes in the area.
This mandal is located on the 12th Lane Khetwadi, Girgaum (South Mumbai).

   4. GSB Seva Ganesh Mandal:

This mandal is affectionately also called ‘Mumbai’s Gold Ganesh’, the reason being that the idol is adorned with more than 60 kilograms of pure gold. Yes, pure gold!

The mandal, probably the richest in the city, was founded by Gowd Saraswat Brahmin community from Karnataka in the year of 1954. This community also conducts various social programs in the city during the time of the festival
This mandal stands out in support of environment as the idol is made of clay, therefore, making it eco-friendly. It also does not play any recorded music, but instead live music using traditional Indian musical instruments is played.
It is located in G.S.B Sports Club Ground, R.A Kidwai Road, King’s Circle, Matunga (Central Mumbai).

   5. Andheri cha Raja:

The mandal was established in 1966 by the workers of the Tobacco Company, Tata Special Steel and Excel Industries ltd.
This idol is not towering or too grand, but it has a reputation for fulfilling wishes.
A special thing about this is that it usually has a novel theme and other attractions like sand sculptures or holding carnivals.
This mandal is located on the Veera Desai Road, Azad Nagar at Andheri.

  6. Girgaon cha Raja:

This mandal holds the richest Ganesh idol in Girgaon. This mandal was started in 1928 by Ramchandra Tendulkar.

  7. Ladka Lambodhar – Rangari Badak Chawl Ganpati

This mandal was first started in 1938. Last year’s idol showed the tall idol of Lord Ganesha by female devotees all around, and it was placed in a 100 feet long Pandal.