Long processions carrying 'Bappa' from workshops to pandals — popularly known as aagaman sohala — amid pomp and festivities saw a larger attendance of people like never before.
For the past few days, the streets of Mumbai had been reverberating with chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya'. Long processions carrying 'Bappa' from workshops to pandals — popularly known as aagaman sohala — amid pomp and festivities saw a larger attendance of people like never before.
Size of the grand arrival processions has increased manifold over the years. The reason could be numerous. According to Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti (BSGSS), the umbrella body of Ganesh mandals in the city, the race to win the cut-throat competition of emerging as the most popular mandal is the main reason behind it. It also added that two years ago BSGSS asked mandals to not use the huge music systems including loudspeakers to avoid noise pollution. This led to the introduction of the traditional dhol-taasha making it an elaborate affair.
Naresh Dahibavkar, president of Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, suggested a psychological reason. "The crowd mostly comprises of youth. Owing to fast and hectic lifestyle, being overscheduled and other socio-economic reasons today's youth is stressed and frustrated. Participating in such processions allows them to let down their hair, put aside their worry and mental turmoil and enjoy to the fullest," he observes.
While most of the mandals transported their idols peacefully in the dead of the night, a few made it a day affair with dhol-taasha giving Mumbaikars a glimpse of Ganesha.
Uday Tsalian, spokesperson for Andhericha Raja says that in the last few years aagaman sohla has become as grand as visrajan procession. "The mandals are planning huge aagaman sholas so that they get noticed too. Professionals are hired for the occasion. Things are changing drastically. We still get our idol from Parel to Lalbaug at night, but our idol used to be covered till the first day of Chaturthi. Like other big mandals, we have removed the covering so that photographs can be taken."
CHANGING TRENDS
- Size of the grand arrival processions has increased manifold over the years.
- It has turned into a grand event holding up traffic for hours at peak times
- According to BSGSS, the umbrella body of Ganesh mandals in the city, race to win the cut-throat competition of emerging as the most popular mandal is the main reason behind it
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