24 September,2026 09:08 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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The Maharashtra Tourism Department has set up a special viewing pavilion at Girgaon Chowpatty to give foreign tourists an opportunity to witness the Ganesh idol immersion ceremony and experience the cultural traditions associated with the festival.
The pavilion has been arranged as part of efforts to showcase Maharashtra's cultural heritage to international visitors and promote cultural tourism, the department said in a statement on Wednesday.
The 12-day Ganesh festival will conclude on September 25, when large idols will be taken in processions across Mumbai before being immersed in the sea and other water bodies.
The viewing facility at Girgaon Chowpatty will allow foreign tourists to observe the immersion ceremonies from a designated location. The Tourism Department said the initiative is intended to provide visitors with an opportunity to experience the festival and learn about its cultural significance.
The department said the pavilion would showcase different aspects of Maharashtra's cultural heritage while giving international visitors a closer view of the celebrations surrounding the immersion of Ganesh idols.
"Through a people-centric festival like Ganeshotsav, the government is making efforts to take Maharashtra's unique cultural identity to visitors from across the world. By encouraging such initiatives, we are promoting the growth of tourism in the state through cultural tourism," said Tourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai.
Maharashtra Additional Chief Secretary (Tourism) Sanjay Khandare said the facility at Girgaon beach would give foreign tourists an opportunity to experience local cultural traditions first-hand.
"Through the pavilion, visitors will be introduced to the historical, cultural and spiritual significance of Ganeshotsav. Initiatives such as these will help showcase Maharashtra's rich cultural heritage more effectively to audiences at the international level," he said.
The initiative comes as Mumbai prepares for the final day of the Ganesh festival, which is marked by large processions and the immersion of idols. Girgaon Chowpatty is among the city's prominent locations for Ganesh idol immersion.
Vikas Pansare, Director of the Directorate of Tourism, said the pavilion would give foreign visitors an opportunity to learn about different aspects of the festival and witness the immersion ceremony.
"This will help showcase Maharashtra's cultural traditions, warm hospitality, and the diverse opportunities available for cultural tourism to international visitors, " he added.
The Tourism Department said such initiatives were aimed at creating opportunities for visitors to engage with Maharashtra's cultural traditions while also highlighting the state as a destination for cultural tourism.
The 12-day Ganesh festival will conclude on September 25 with the immersion of idols at beaches, lakes and other designated water bodies across Mumbai and Maharashtra.
In Mumbai, the final day is expected to see large processions as devotees accompany idols to immersion points. Girgaon Chowpatty is one of the major locations where idols are immersed during the festival.
The Tourism Department said the viewing pavilion was part of its efforts to use major cultural events to introduce international visitors to Maharashtra's traditions and heritage.
The department said the initiative would also help provide foreign tourists with a structured opportunity to observe the celebrations while highlighting the cultural and tourism potential associated with Ganeshotsav.
(With inputs from PTI)
