16 September,2026 11:42 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Visitors have been arriving throughout the day to offer prayers and seek blessings at the iconic idol. Pic/PTI
Large numbers of devotees continued to visit Lalbaugcha Raja in central Mumbai on Wednesday as the city's Ganeshotsav celebrations entered their third day.
The annual festival has drawn devotees to several prominent Ganesh pandals across Mumbai, with Lalbaugcha Raja remaining one of the major attractions during Ganeshotsav. Visitors have been arriving throughout the day to offer prayers and seek blessings at the iconic idol.
The Lalbaug area has witnessed a steady flow of devotees since the festival began, with arrangements in place to manage crowds visiting the pandal.
A devotee who visited the pandal on Wednesday said, "I have immense love for Bappa and seek his blessings. I felt very happy and blessed to have darshan of Bappa. It was truly wonderful and amazing. This year's theme is absolutely fantastic, reflecting the form of Mahakal and Lord Shiva."
The festival atmosphere across Mumbai has remained lively as residential communities, public organisations and prominent Ganesh mandals continue their celebrations.
Lalbaugcha Raja is among Mumbai's most prominent Ganesh idols and has attracted devotees from across the city and beyond for decades. The idol is installed at Lalbaug in central Mumbai and is known for drawing large crowds during the 10-day Ganeshotsav festival.
The annual celebrations are marked by elaborate decorations, devotional programmes and long queues of devotees seeking an opportunity to visit the idol. The Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal has also maintained various arrangements to facilitate the movement of visitors during the festival.
Ganeshotsav 2026 is being celebrated across Mumbai with public and private installations, cultural programmes and daily prayers. The festival will culminate with the immersion of Ganesh idols, when thousands of devotees are expected to participate in processions across the city.
More than 61,500 Lord Ganesh idols were immersed at various locations across Mumbai by 4 am on Wednesday, September 16, marking the end of the one-and-a-half-day worship period for devotees observing the early immersion tradition during the 12-day Ganeshotsav.
According to figures shared by BMC officials, 61,135 household Ganesh idols had been immersed by 4 am on Wednesday. The number of public Ganesh mandal idols immersed during the period stood at 301. The figures also included 92 Hartalika idols, taking the total number of immersions recorded during the period to 61,528.
