Vighnaharta Ganpati Bappa facing Corona’s “Vighna”

@RishikeshChava9

Mumbai : From smaller idols to not celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi at all Covid19 has changed this year’s Mumbai’s Ganesh festival. Eager to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, Maharashtra government has imposed lot of restrictions on festival organisers this year.

Every August, Ganesh festival organisers across Mumbai spend weeks erecting elaborate public pandals in preparation for the city’s biggest religious celebration. This year, with Ganesh Chaturthi approaching on August 22, many organisers are busy constructing large brick tanks for immersing Ganesh idols at the end of the 10-day festival.

In a set of guidelines issued last month, the Maharashtra Government made it mandatory for all ‘mandals’ to take prior permission from the concerned municipality or local authority for Ganeshotsav celebrations. While there is no ban on immersing idols at beaches yet government has also capped the maximum idol height at 4 feet.

The rules have broken the spirits of festival organisers and devotees, many of whom spend the ten days of the festival idol-hopping across the city to see popular idols and the decorative, themed pandals built around them.

Speaking to TheNews21 Swapnil Parab Secretary of Ganeshgalli said “Instead of getting damped by the Covid problems we are trying our best tackle them and celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi. Due to government’s strict guidelines we have reduced our idol’s height to 4 feet and also making an large brick tank to immerse our idol in it.”

“Half of our time is being spent in making our volunteers and devotees understand that seriousness of today’s situation and how they have will take precautions while taking Bappa’s Darshan. We are focusing more on giving Online Darshan to devotees” He added.

Umesh Naik Chairman of Chintamani Mandal said ” Due to the Covid crisis we have decided to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi very simply this time. Respecting government’s guidelines we have chose not to bring huge idol and instead instill a small Silver Ganesh idol and will do the Visarjan simply too.”

“We are also conducting a program in which we will felicitate Covid warriors and will also hold a blood donation camp” He added.

Naresh Dahibawkar the president of the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti said “Due to Corona decorations and lighting are strictly not allowed and pandals will orchestrate more health awareness programs. Arrival and immersion of Ganesh idol’s and it’s events are cancelled too.”

He also informed saying “Samanvay Samiti will make sure these guidelines are being followed by Pandals. Our samiti has also established Covid team of 500 volunteers in each ward there will be 20 volunteers checking if the directives are being implemented by the Ganesh Pandals.”

Informing about an social activity he said “Ganesh Pandals will not conduct cultural programs but instead this time people who have been quarantined in their home for long period. Most of senior citizens to bring them in mainstream and taking care of their mental health after spending such huge time in isolation they will be shown online programs of Yoga and various other spiritual activities by Ganesh pandals”.-By Rishikesh Chavan