Navi Mumbai hosts more than 1,000 Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav mandals every year. In spite of the increasing number of pujas every year, Navi Mumbaikars vouch for a glimpse of visarjans at Juhu and Girgaum Chowpatty. Visarjans in town are known for the humongous crowd they attract and a strange festive spirit that make them a special affair altogether.
Ajit Bhosle, a resident of Koparkhairane, seconds the thought and says, “Visarjans in town are an occasion of grand celebration. In Navi Mumbai too, we enjoy visarjans with great fervour, but Mumbai turns into an alien city on the day and it’s beautiful to experience the divine wave that comes along.” However, not all feel the same.
Residents of Navi Mumbai who have been witnessing the visarjan since decades now, have another story to tell. Priyalata Vaidya, who is residing in Vashi since 1986 says, “Visarjans are systematic and peaceful in Navi Mumbai. Everyone gets a fair chance of having the last blessings of the lord, unlike the over-crowded streets of Mumbai.”
The traditional Marathi lezim dance is a prime attraction of most Ganeshotsav processions in the town. There are specialised lezim groups from Pune and dhols from Nashik that usually accompany the procession of Lalbaugcha Raja.
The Dukes Ganpati is also accompanied with lezim groups who are specially invited from various parts of Maharashtra. Similarly, the Ganeshotsav hosted by Kapoor family at the RK Studios have their family members and Bollywood celebs shaking a leg to some foot-tapping Bollywood numbers.
In fact, the help desks at various points of the visarjan route in town have Bollywood big-shots and other celebrities waving out to people and cheering the devotees.
Manas Randekar, an IT professional at Belapur feels, “Watching Ganpati visarjan at Chowpatty leaves you awestruck, and that’s a fact. We are a group of about 11 friends who always make it a point to visit Girgaum Chowpatty on the last day.
We usually start in the morning and reach town early afternoon, so that we need not chase the crowd on our way. The streets are jam-packed, and there is a stampede almost every year. However, the beautiful Ganesha idols, the enthusiastic devotees and the lively processions make up for all the toil.”
In fact, some Navi Mumbaikars feel that the festival is incomplete without bidding adieu to Lalbaugcha Raja. They think it’s beautiful to see him slowly immerse down the Arabian Sea as the morning sun begins to rise and say, “Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Yaa!”
Big occasion
Visarjans in town are an occasion of grand celebration. In Navi Mumbai too, people enjoy visarjans with great fervour, but Mumbai turns into an alien city on the day and it’s beautiful to experience the divine wave that comes along
The traditional Marathi lezim dance is a prime attraction of most Ganeshotsav processions in the town.
There are specialised lezim groups from Pune and dhols from Nasik that usually accompany the procession of Lalbaugcha Raja and also the Dukes Ganpati
The Ganeshotsav hosted by Kapoor family at the RK Studios have their family members and Bollywood celebs shaking a leg to some foot-tapping Bollywood numbers.
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