Continuing their 36-year-old tradition, Ganesha devotees led the Andhericha Raja for immersion amid music and gulal on Friday evening. The procession is expected to reach Versova beach on Saturday.
While Ganeshotsav comes to a close on Anant Chaturthi, which fell on September 11 this year, the Azad Nagar Sarvajanik Utsav Samiti has been traditionally immersing the idol on Ganesh Sankashti Chaturthi.
In 1975, Golden Tobacco Company, Tata Special Steel and Excel Industries had shut shop and 3,000 workers had been rendered jobless.
“The samiti chairman, Appa Khanvilkar, made a wish that if the companies would restart operations, they would extend the Ganpati idol’s stay. Within two months, the firms reopened and almost all 3,000 workers were absorbed back,” said Uday Salian, chief spokesperson of the samiti.
“Since then we have had the tradition of immersing the idol five days after Anant Chaturthi.”
Another unique feature of this mandal is that the idol is not bought by the samiti but, by devotees. “We have a waiting list of more than 30 devotees who want to get the idol,” said Salian.
The idol is also referred to as the Navasala Pavnara Ganpati (wish-fulfilling Ganpati). “During the immersion procession, lakhs of devotees line up on the roads to catch a glimpse of the idol and make a wish.”
“Every year, the devotee who has bought the idol performs the daily puja, while the kolis perform the final puja before immersion at Versova,” said Salian.
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