mid-day editorial: This visarjan, put self before selfies

Tomorrow is Anant Chaturdashi - the last day of Ganesh Visarjan. And, as always, Mumbai will go into a frenetic mode with devotees clogging roads to pay their last respects to Ganeshji. Adding to the crowd, members from different mandals and pandal volunteers will accompany the idols to different immersion ghats in the city.

But immersion day is such a Kodak-modak moment for Mumbai. Heavy celeb presence will be felt across the city on this day. Actors, surrounded by a phalanx of photographers, will no doubt step out to pay respect to the Ganpati, publicly. Amidst all the activity on the Grand Trunk Road of Mumbai, selfies will rule - whether with the Lord or even otherwise.

Lifeguards at our beaches often grieve over the selfie mania and urge devotees to be extra careful of ‘selfie seekers'. It would be prudent to heed their advice and respect rules while at immersion ghats. Though it is a non-negotiable order, it's a given that warnings will be ignored or flouted. Drowning, it seems, has become an occupational hazard on immersion day, but this ‘it happens' attitude needs to change. It is entirely unacceptable.

Incidents of swimmers overestimating their prowess or underestimating the water current and drowning surface every visarjan day. Even inebriated people go out to sea fuelled by alcohol-induced bravado.

It is time devotees take responsibility for their own safety. Don't go beyond your comfortable water depth. If in a group, especially pandal groups, ensure someone carries a basic safety kit. Adherence to instructions and police rules during immersion is sacrosanct. Fervour is one thing but it cannot be mixed with foolhardiness. This visarjan, let us cheer for all the right reasons and make the occasion memorable.