Despite high prices, gold and silver for idols

Though gold and silver prices have reached exorbitant levels, this has not deterred the devotees from offering it to Lord Ganesh in the Ganpati festival.

Though gold and silver prices have reached exorbitant levels, this has not deterred the devotees from offering it to Lord Ganesh in the Ganpati festival.

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The best example is Ganesh Galli where the mandal is all set to deck Lord Ganesh with 5.6 kg gold necklace worth Rs 1.5 crore. "The idol looks beautiful with gold and hence we decided to adorn the Lord with gold," said Swapnil Parab, president of Ganesh Galli Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal.

Similarly the Goud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) Sion mandal, has received two major gold donations this time, one for the trunk of the idol (216 gm) and other for the palanquin (1 kg).

"This gold is as a thanksgiving to the Lord of the devotees whose wishes have been fulfilled," said Satish Nayak, senior Trustee, GSB Mandal. The 68 kg of gold and 465 kg of silver worth Rs 18.34 crore adorns the idol in this mandal

In the last few days, gold prices have now hovering at Rs 27,000 from approximately average Rs 21,500. Silver rates are now in the range of Rs 61,000 from the average of Rs 56,000.

"It has been a part of tradition to buy gold during the Ganpati and Divali season and this still followed," said Pankaj Kothari, owner, Palak Jewellers.