3,500 households and mandals to bring in idols to celebrate Maghi Ganesh Chaturthi

With the rising popularity of Maghi Ganesh Chaturthi, around 3,500 households and mandals on Tuesday will bring Ganpati idols in their premises. Maghi Ganesh Chaturthi

With the rising popularity of Maghi Ganesh Chaturthi, around 3,500 households and mandals on Tuesday will bring Ganpati idols in their premises. Maghi Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on January 28.

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The festival falls in the month of Magh, which corresponds to January-February and commemorates the birth of the deity. Unlike Ganesh Chaturthi, which is celebrated on a large scale in August or September, Maghi Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations are usually low key but its popularity has been growing lately.

Naresh Dahibhavkar, head of Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, the umbrella organisation of Ganesh mandals in the city, said that in the 1990s there were only 10-12 mandals in Girgaum area such as at Kotachiwadi and Kumbharwada, where mandals would get idols during Maghi Ganesh Chaturthi. However, over the last few years, around 3,000-3,500 idols have been venerated on this day. According to the samiti, around 90 big mandals, 2,000 small mandals and 1,000-1,500 households, would be celebrating the festival on January 28.

“The spike in numbers is because the city has been expanding. The celebrations are mostly in suburbs, in areas such as Kandivli. The birthday of Lord Ganesha used to be celebrated earlier in temples, but now people are getting idols at their place and having a celebration for five to seven days,” said Dahibhavkar.

Reshma Khatu, an idol sculptor, said that over the last two to three years, the demand for idols during Maghi Ganesh Chaturthi is increasing. “Around four years ago, we made around four to five big idols. Now I make seven to eight idols. Also, we used to make idols as huge as five to six feet, now there is a demand for idols as high as 16 feet. It is a new trend that is catching in the suburbs,” said Khatu.

Jinal Parikh, a businesswoman, will be getting an idol at her home for the first time on Tuesday. “We always wanted to get a Ganpati idol at our place. But in September, Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations coincide with the Jain festival Paryushan. So we decided to celebrate Maghi Ganesh Chaturthi.” said Parikh.