Immersions up by 14.51 per cent from last year, but fewer in artificial ponds

This year, 34 per cent or 66,127 of the total immersions of Ganesh and Gauri idols took place in artificial ponds, whereas last year, 49 per cent or 82,061 of the total immersions took place in artificial ponds, according to information provided by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

On Ananth Chaturdashi (September 9), the final day of the Ganesh festival, 38,214 Ganesh and Gauri idols were immersed across Mumbai, of which 9,751 were immersed in artificial ponds.

Of the 38,214 immersions on September 9, 6,647 were from Ganesh mandals of which 769, or a mere 2 per cent, were immersed in artificial ponds. In the case of household idols, the immersion in artificial ponds was much higher.

Of the total of 31,259 household idols immersed on September 9, 28 per cent or 8,873 idols were immersed in artificial ponds.

A BMC official overseeing the immersions said, “Overall, the number of idols immersed on the 10th or final day of the festival increased this year, in comparison to the last year. Last year, the festival coincided with the partial lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. So, citizens were wary of immersions in natural water bodies because of the crowd. In artificial ponds, the crowd is more controlled. This year, as restrictions have been lifted, the crowd largely shifted to immersions at chowpattys, especially for idols of Ganesh mandals.”

This year, the most number of immersions through the 10 days of the festival took place on the second day, on September 1, marking the 1.5 days of the festival. A total of 60,557 idols were immersed after 1.5 days, in comparison to 31,406 idols immersed on the fourth day, 48,040 idols on the fifth day, 14,845 on the sixth day and 38,214 idols immersed on the 10th day.