27 August,2025 05:17 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The Thackeray cousins- Uddhav and Raj has been recently seen visiting each other. Pic/Special Arrangement by Rane Ashish
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday visited his cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray's residence-- Shivtirth in Dadar area of Mumbai on Ganesh Chaturthi.
In a post on X, the MNS stated that Uddhav Thackeray visited Raj Thackeray's residence for darshan of Ganpati Bappa.
The Thackeray cousins- Uddhav and Raj has been recently seen visiting each other.
Last month, Raj Thackeray had visited Uddhav's house -- Matoshree in Bandra area to wish Uddhav Thackeray on his birthday.
Earlier, at the "victory" rally held to celebrate the rollback of the Hindi language GRs (resolutions) by the BJP-led state government, the cousins shared a political stage for the first time in almost two decades, on the issue of Marathi identity and "imposition" of the Hindi language.
At the joint rally in Mumbai on July 5, Uddhav Thackeray had said that he and the MNS chief have come together to stay together.
Meanwhile, the 10-day Ganesh festival in Maharashtra began on Wednesday.
Elaborate decorations have been put up across Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra to welcome Lord Ganesha, revered as the harbinger of prosperity and destroyer of obstacles.
For the first time, the Maharashtra government has declared the Ganeshotsav celebrations as a state festival.
Multiple activities, programmes, celebrations and competitions have been organised by the state culture department during these ten days of festivities.
Mandals (groups that celebrate the Ganesh festival 2025 in public places) have been urged to take initiatives to raise awareness of the 12 forts of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj that have been accorded the UNESCO World Heritage status as well as Operation Sindoor and the spirit of 'swadeshi', reported the PTI.
According to the Mumbai police, 17,600 cops will man the streets in the metropolis. A horse mounted police unit, drones, bomb detection and disposal squad and dog squads are also part of their elaborate deployment.
Extensive traffic arrangements has also been made in Mumbai across the city, the police said.
Special arrangements has been made at prominent city locations including sarvajanik mandals and city beaches for the festival, officials said.
Lakhs of devotees visit some of the popular pandals like 'Lalbaugcha Raja' during the festival. Other well-known mandals in the area include Chinchpokli, Ganesh Gully and Tejukaya.
The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, the apex coordinating body of Ganesh mandals in the city has appealed to its members to ensure smooth and disciplined organisation of the festival, according to the PTI.
It has also urged the mandals to keep the festival apolitical in view of the upcoming civic polls, stressing that Ganeshotsav is rooted in culture and devotion.
(with PTI inputs)
