Mumbai Bids Farewell to Ganpati Bappa as Lalbaugcha Raja Joins Visarjan Procession
Anant Chaturdashi brought Mumbai to a standstill as devotees accompanied Lalbaugcha Raja through the city toward Girgaon Chowpatty for immersion.
Mumbai witnessed an outpouring of devotion on Anant Chaturdashi as thousands of devotees gathered for a last glimpse of Lalbaugcha Raja before the idol was taken out for immersion. The streets around Lalbaug filled with crowds as the procession got underway, with chants, music and the sheer scale of the gathering marking the city's farewell to Ganpati Bappa.
The route of the Lalbaugcha Raja procession passes through several parts of Central and South Mumbai before reaching Girgaon Chowpatty, where the idol is immersed. Devotees lined the roads along the way, accompanying the idol on its journey.
Ganesh Visarjan is being observed across India on Friday, September 25, bringing the ten-day Ganeshotsav to a close. This year's festival began on September 14 with the installation of Lord Ganesha idols in homes and pandals.
The celebrations are marked by daily prayers, decorations, floral offerings and sweets, with modaks among the offerings traditionally associated with Lord Ganesha. The festival concludes with Ganesh Visarjan, when devotees bid farewell to the deity and immerse the idols in water.
In Mumbai and across Maharashtra, elaborate immersion processions are taken out on the final day. Large numbers of people gather at immersion points to offer prayers and witness the rituals.