Ganeshotsav or Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm every year. However, this year the celebrations are a little subdued due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. Even earlier the Chief Minister and the civic authorities have appealed to people to keep the celebrations a little low-key this year. They have also been advised to follow all social distancing norms and wear a mask in public places.
The security around the city has been beefed up to ensure that all norms are followed. Apart from the local police, a company of Rapid Action Force (RAF), three companies of State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), local arms and riot control police have been deployed in Mumbai for this year's celebrations.
It has been constantly raining in Mumbai and that has also played spoilt support for a lot of people. Many who wanted to go out to get the idol of their choice or sweets for the home could not head out due to the non-stop rain.
Even large pandals that were known to celebrate this festival have cancelled celebrations and are organising awareness camps and blood/plasma donation drives this year. The famous Lalbaughcha Raja Ganeshotsav Mandal in Mumbai for the first time in its 93 history will not have grand celebrations. Instead, it is holding a blood and plasma donation camp will be set up in its place. The board has decided to hold a health camp this year for 11 days.
However, most of the famous mandals have a live feed that allows people to have darshan of Lord Ganesh from the comfort of their homes. You can see the live feed for Ganesh Galli - Lalbaug Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal, GSB Seva Mandal and Siddhivinayak Mandir here.
From time to time, BMC has been sharing guidelines on what is permitted and not for Ganeshotsav 2020. Here is the complete list :
• Devotees who are celebrating Ganesh Festival in their homes are advised to carry out idol immersion of the Ganesh idols at their homes in a bucket or a drum as their first preference.
• There are 70 natural immersion spots for Ganesh idols within MCGM jurisdiction and they are made available this year as well. However, only those citizens / devotees residing within 2 km radius of these spots are allowed to immerse their idols at there by handing over the idols to MCGM teams made available at these spots. The citizens / devotees shall not be allowed to enter the seawater or water of natural spots to immerse the idols themselves under any circumstances.
• At these natural immersion spots M.C.G.M. has made adequate arrangements for collection of idols. The idols so collected shall duly and respectfully immersed in the water by M.C.G.M. teams made available at those spots.
• Additionally in order to reduce overcrowding at natural immersion spots, M.C.G.M. has created about 170 artificial ponds across various Wards. Devotees residing nearby the artificial ponds are mandatorily required to carry out immersion of their Ganesh idols in the nearest artificial ponds only. Adequate arrangements to collect the idols at the Artificial Ponds has also been made by MCGM.
• In every M.C.G.M. Ward office jurisdiction 7 to 8 Ganesh idol Collection Centres are created and information of artificial ponds with their addresses and google locations is available on https://portal.mcgm.gov.in website of M.C.G.M. in "What's New" section.
• The Ganeshotsav Mandals as well as citizens situated in Containment Zones shall immerse their Ganesh idols by creating a necessary arrangement in the mandap / pandol and their homes itself. Alternatively, they can defer the immersion of the idols to the next year. Devotees who are staying in Sealed Buildings shall mandatorily immerse their Ganesh idols in their homes itself (in bucket/ small drums) or postpone the immersion to the next year.
• All the devotees are advised that they shall perform "Pooja" & "Aarti" in their homes itself and then hand over the idols at the Collection Centres or at Artificial Ponds or at Natural Immersion Spots. Similar condition will apply to the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandals. Under no circumstances it will be allowed to do Pooja or Aarti at immersion spots.
• As a special arrangement, M.C.G.M. has created the Mobile Immersion Spots on Wheels by making necessary arrangements by fitting suitable water tanks in trucks. Devotees are also requested to take benefit of these Mobile Immersion Spots.
• It is once again reiterated that no procession shall be carried out during Ganesh Festival 2020 . No such permission shall be granted. Every devotee should note this point and abide by the same to ensure safety of themselves and fellow citizens.
• During the immersion activity, it is mandatory for all citizens to make use of mask, sanitizers and follow necessary social distancing
• These guidelines are issued in the larger public interest so that the important cultural festival like the Ganesh Festival is celebrated by all citizens without compromising their safety under COVIDt9 pandemic.
Apart from this, it is advised that people wash their hands thoroughly before the pooja and avoid using sanitizers at the time of pooja or aarti
For any further clarifications, one can refer to the BMC directive on Twitter.
Essential instructions for the Idol Immersion by Devotees in Ganeshotsav-2020. pic.twitter.com/FzwaOn3N38
— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) August 22, 2020
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