Devotess bid adieu to Lord Ganesha, culmination of 10-day-long 'Ganeshotsav'

Mumbai: As the 10-day festival came to an end on Thursday, various Ganesh mandals in Mumbai began processions to immerse the deity's statues amid the banging of drums and chanting of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya.’ 

In a magnificent procession, Mumbai's devotees bid farewell to their Lalbaugcha Raja while asking Him in prayers to return next year. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with much pomp and zeal in several states across the country. 

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha. It is one of the most popular Hindu festivals. It is celebrated for 10 days and it is believed that during this time Lord Ganesha arrives on earth with his mother, Goddess Parvati, and showers blessings on the people. 
On Anant Chaturdashi, devotees wish Bappa goodbye in the hope that he will visit their houses the next year to bestow blessings. 
The Hindu lunar calendar's sixth month, Bhadrapada, or Ganesh Chaturthi, begins on the fourth day of that month. The ten-day festival ends on the fourteenth day of the month, which is referred to as Chaturdashi. 

Interestingly, the day set aside for worshipping Lord Vishnu falls on the day after Ganeshotsav, the festival honouring Lord Ganesh. 
The Lord Ganesh idols were carried out of pandals for their final journey into the Arabian Sea and other bodies of water as devotees gathered along the procession routes to witness the event. Music, dance, and sincere prayers were performed beside these idols, which were displayed in a variety of shapes and sizes.
 The history of the Lalbaugcha Raja is quite famous as it is the popular Ganesh idol of Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, located at Putlabai Chawl, a place of worship founded in 1934.

The Lalbaugcha Raja Ganapati idol has been taken care of by the Kambli family for over eight decades. 
Ganesh Chaturthi is a ten-day festival that starts on the fourth day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month 'Bhadrapada' and this year the festival commenced on September 19. This auspicious ten-day festival starts with 'Chaturthi' and ends on 'Anantha Chaturdashi'. 
It is believed that Lord Ganesh arrives on Earth during the festival and after the 10 days of blessings he showers on his devotees, he returns to his parents Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati on 'Kailash Parvat'. 

The festive period is also known as 'Vinayak Chaturthi' or 'Vinayak Chavithi'. The festival celebrates Ganesha as the 'God of New Beginnings' and the 'Remover of Obstacles' as well as the god of wisdom and intelligence. 

It is celebrated with much fanfare in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra with lakhs of devotees converging into mandals to seek blessing from Lord Ganesh. 
For the festivities, people bring Lord Ganesh idols to their homes, observe fasts, prepare mouth-watering delicacies, and visit pandals during the festival.