26 September,2026 05:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Thousands of devotees gathered along the procession route as the iconic Ganpati idol made its way to Mumbai’s Chowpatty. PIC/ SATEJ SHINDE
Lalbaugcha Raja was immersed in the Arabian Sea at Chowpatty in Girgaon at 10.46 am on Saturday after a marathon 21-hour visarjan procession through Mumbai.
The iconic Ganpati idol, which began its journey on Friday, reached Chowpatty amid thousands of devotees lining the procession route. The immersion took place ahead of the high tide forecast for Mumbai later in the morning.
According to the latest tide forecast, Mumbai was expected to witness a high tide of 4.27 metres at 11.31 am on Saturday.
Last year, the immersion of Lalbaugcha Raja was delayed amid high-tide conditions.
Thousands of devotees gathered along the procession route as the iconic Ganpati idol made its way to Mumbai's Chowpatty. The massive idol, covered in pink gulal, was carried through packed streets on a grand platform, with devotees dancing and joining the procession.
Celebrations continued along the route, with devotees showering each other with gulal.
Reliance Industries Executive Director and Vantara founder Anant Ambani was also seen participating in the immersion procession.
Lalbaugcha Raja's visarjan procession is known for its scale and duration, with the idol traditionally reaching Chowpatty in the early hours of the day following Anant Chaturdashi.
The mandal was established in 1934 by members of the Koli community, along with mill workers and traders from the Lalbaug market, when the area was a major centre of Mumbai's textile industry.
The idol has been sculpted by the Kambli family for generations, with its distinctive design becoming closely associated with Lalbaugcha Raja.
The Ganpati is popularly known as "Navsacha Ganpati", referring to the belief among devotees that wishes and vows made before the idol are fulfilled. The belief draws devotees from across the country, including celebrities and public figures, during the annual festival.
Large crowds, particularly those seeking Charan Sparsh Darshan, have often resulted in long queues. The idol is also kept on display throughout the 11-day Ganeshotsav.
Meanwhile, 34,806 Ganesh idols had been immersed across Mumbai by 9 am on Saturday, according to the latest 12th-day immersion report.
The figure included 6,604 public Ganesh idols, 27,649 household idols and 553 Gauri idols.
No untoward incident was reported during the immersion process until 9 am.
