Pray, and pledge an organ

This year, Bappa has taken upon himself to inform devotees that organs are best utilised on earth after death.

Ganpati pandals will spread the message of cadaver donation amid the festive fervour that will grip the city from September 19.

While the idol will be invoked at the Fort Vibhaag Sarvajanik Ganesha Utsav, more than one lakh devotees will be educated about the necessity of donating organs to save lives. “When former  CM Vilasrao Deshmukh succumbed to his ailment as he did not receive a healthy liver on time, it set us thinking about the need to raise awareness about organ donation. Close to 15 volunteers will be deployed at the entrance and exit of the pandal to explain to devotees the need to register  for organ donation,” said Ravindra Surve, secretary of the Fort Vibhaag Sarvajanik Ganesha Utsav.

In addition to going the eco-friendly way, Bal Gopal Mitra Mandal in Vile Parle plans to set up an elaborate concept-driven light and music show to drive home the point that organ donation is an essential duty.

“Setting up a theme of organ donation is like a feather in the cap for our pandal, which has created a 14ft eco-friendly idol out of tissue paper. A 15-minute show will enlighten devotees of the procedure of organ donation in the pandal,” said Vijay Kumar, the mandal's secretary.

This year, Parsiwadi Sarvajanik Mandal in Ghatkopar will screen a six-minute animation film, along with offering darshan of the lord in the pandal. 

“We have sought help from the Zonal Transplant Co-ordination Centre in the state to distribute donor cards, which we will convince every devotee to keep in their wallet. The card shows the consent of the person to donate organs after death,” said Pradip Pandey, secretary of the mandal.