On Monday morning, a calm stillness overcame the city that had been bustling with activity during the 10 days of Ganeshotsav. As Anant Chaturdashi set in on Sunday, thousands of idols were immersed in the sea amid chants of “Pudhchya varshi lavkar ya“.
Led by Lalbaugcha Raja and Mumbaicha Raja, some mandals chose a long journey to the beachfront. Even Khetwadicha Ganraj was immersed at 6am on Monday. “Our procession started at 3pm on Sunday, and reached Chowpatty the next morning,” said mandal chief Ganesh Mathur.
Chief priest of Siddhivinayak temple Gajanan Modak said it’s preferable to complete the ritual before sunset on Anant Chaturdashi. “No doubt the idol attains avchetan (rest) once the uttarang puja is performed in the pandal, but it’s better the immersion takes place within a few hours, rather than the next morning.”
Residents of a 130-year-old chawl near Hindmata in Dadar suffered heartache when they arrived home to an empty pandal. “It is like bidding farewell to a family member, ,” said Sanket Pednekar, treasurer of the colony’s Ankur Mitra Mandal.
Devotees are now expected to flock to Andhericha Raja which will be imm-ersed on Sankashti, on October 1. “Last week, the postal department released a stamp bearing our name to honour us in our golden jubilee year,” said spokesman Uday Salian. Another stamp for Mumbaicha Raja is in the offing.