With the threat of COVID-19 looming large over Mumbai, Ganesh Chaturthi is being celebrated in a subdued manner. However, the virus has failed to dampen the spirit of the festival as people were seen welcoming Lord Ganesha to their homes and pandals, marking the beginning of the 10-day long festival. (Pictures/Pradeep Dhivar, Ashish Raje, Satej Shinde, Ashish Rane, Atul Kamble, Suresh Karkera -mid-day photographers, AFP)
Updated On: 2020-08-22 12:27 AM IST
The 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations began on Saturday. However, the usual pomp and glory were missing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on public movement issued by the state government
In picture: A family carries a Ganesh idol at Lalbaug, an area in the city which is the hub of Ganapati pandals in Mumbai. However, due to Covid outbreak the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations have been subdued this year
The Maharashtra government issued guidelines on the celebrations ahead of the festival. According to the guidelines, processions could not be taken out before installation and immersion of the Ganesh idols.
In picture: A man walks alone with a Ganapati idiol in Andheri (East)
Due to the subdued celebrations, small businesses like flower shops, sweet shops, outlets selling decoration items, imitation jewellery stores and transporters suffered losses
In picture: A family in Sion performs Ganesh puja rituals by following the prayers on You Tube
However, in some popular market places like Dadar, people came out in large numbers to purchase material required for decoration and puja rituals in the last couple of days, forcing cops to evacuate hawkers by erecting barricades
In picture: Ranade road in Dadar, which became the topic of discussion on Friday after huge crowd were seen shopping on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi without following social distancing norms
Mumbai and the neighbouring areas have been witnessing heavy rains since the last few days. Even as the downpour continued on Saturday morning, people stepped out to bring home the idols amid chants of 'Ganapati bappa moraya’.
In picture: A vendor in Dadar selling Ganesh idols waits for customers
Security has been beefed up in the city for the festival with a company of Rapid Action Force (RAF), three companies of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), local arms and riot control police being deployed.
In picture: A man boards an auto rickshaw with an idol of Ganesha in Andheri
Quick response teams, bomb disposal squads and anti-terrorism cells have also been put on alert to prevent untoward incidents and police will monitor the happenings in the city with the help of 5,000 CCTV cameras and also use drones for aerial surveillance.
In picture: A cop seeks blessings of 'Bappa' in the empty pandal of Mumbai's famous Chinchpokli Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal in Chinchpokli
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also welcomed Lord Ganesha at his official residence Varsha. He also conveyed his wishes for the occasion on Twitter. (Picture/Office of Uddhav Thackeray-Twitter)
Uddhav Thackeray also shared a video where he is seen with his wife Rashmi and sons Aaditya and Tejas performing puja on the occasion. (Picture/Office of Uddhav Thackeray-Twitter)
In picture: A man performs puja of his new bike as his friends take pictures outside a closed Ganapati Temple in Andheri (East)
In picture: People chanting 'Ganapati Bappa Morya' as they carry a Ganesh idol through the streets of Mumbai
In picture: A man covers a Ganesha idol at a workshop in Dadar's Kabutarkhana before delivering to a customer.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu conveyed his wishes for Ganesh Chaturthi to the citizens on Twitter. He shared photos of himself and his wife Usha performing puja on the occasion. (Picture/Vice-President of India-Twitter)
In picture: A housing society in Andheri installed an LED screen at the entrance gate of the society for showcasing the puja being held in the pandal in the building premises.
