Artificial ponds a hit with devotees

After 11 days of festivities, Mumbaiites bid a final adieu to Ganpati Bappa on Wednesday. More than 1.91 lakh Ganpati idols were immersed during Ganeshotsav this year, around 3,000 more than last year.

After 11 days of festivities, Mumbaiites bid a final adieu to Ganpati Bappa on Wednesday. More than 1.91 lakh Ganpati idols were immersed during Ganeshotsav this year, around 3,000 more than last year. While crowds lined up the streets near Girguam, Juhu and Dadar beaches to catch a glimpse of idols, the artificial ponds also received tremendous response with around 13,688 idols being immersed in these ponds. Last year, 8,200 idols were immersed in artificial ponds.

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“The response to the artificial ponds was tremendous and we plan to create more such ponds next year,” said Deputy Municipal Commissioner Kishore Kshirsagar.

The atmosphere at most immersion spots across the city was that of mixed emotions. “It’s a bitter-sweet moment for my family as Ganpati Bappa, who brought the news of my sister-in-law’s pregnancy, is going away today,” said Sandhya, youngest member of the Gupta family, who were at Dadar Chowpatty for the immersion.

The civic body also had its work cut out as they deployed 1,000 Solid Waste Management department employees to collect nirmalaya at various immersion spots in the city.

The department collected over 3,200 metric tonnes of nirmalaya during Ganeshotsav from the 180 nirmalaya kalash they had placed at immersion spots. “We will compost this nirmalaya and will send it to civic gardens. More than 200 metric tonnes of nirmalaya was collected on the last day of immersions,” said civic standing committee chairman Rahul Shewale.