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Mumbais iconic Lalbaugcha Raja Ganpati idol reached Girgaum Chowpatty on Saturday morning, as thousands of devotees gathered to witness the culmination of the citys 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.
The massive pink gulal-drenched idol was carried through packed Mumbai streets on a grand platform, with devotees dancing and accompanying the procession. The streets came alive as devotees began showering each other with gulal. The arrival at Girgaum Chowpatty marks a key stage in the final journey of Lalbaugcha Raja, one of Mumbais most prominent public Ganesh idols. The idol is eventually immersed in the Arabian Sea at Chowpatty as part of the Ganpati Visarjan rituals. Reliance Industries Executive Director and Vantara founder Anant Ambani is also expected to participate in the event. Lalbaugcha Raja is associated with a sarvajanik Ganesh mandal established in 1932 in central Mumbai. More than nine decades after its establishment, the mandal continues to draw millions of visitors during Ganesh Chaturthi and remains one of the citys most recognised public Ganesh celebrations. Ganpati Visarjan is observed across India on Anant Chaturdashi. This year it fell onFriday, September 25. Lalbaugcha Raja's visarjan procession is known for its scale and duration. The idol typically arrives in the early morning hours of the following day of Anant Chaturdashi, often between 6 am and 10 am, with final rituals and immersion taking place in the morning or early afternoon. In Mumbai and across Maharashtra, elaborate processions bring large numbers of devotees to designated immersion points, where prayers and farewell rituals are performed. Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 began on September 14, marking the start of the 10-day Ganeshotsav celebrations. The festival is observed across India with the installation of Lord Ganesha idols in homes and public spaces, followed by days of prayers, festive gatherings and offerings. Devotees traditionally offer flowers, sweets and prayers to Lord Ganesha, with modaks among the offerings associated with the deity. The celebrations conclude with Ganesh Visarjan, when idols are immersed in water as devotees bid farewell to Ganesha. (ANI)
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