By | Arvind Jadhav
Mumbai: Mumbai’s most revered Ganpati, Lalbaugcha Raja, is yet to be immersed at Girgaon Chowpatty as thousands of devotees continue to wait for the final farewell. The idol, which left its pandal in Lalbaug over 28 hours ago, reached the Chowpatty early Sunday morning but could not be taken into the sea due to unusually high tide conditions. According to live updates from TV news channels, immersion attempts were halted for safety reasons as the raft carrying the massive idol swayed dangerously in the strong currents.
Organisers and volunteers worked tirelessly through the afternoon, and the idol was shifted onto a newly prepared raft around 4:45 PM. However, the actual immersion has been postponed until the tide recedes. TV9 Marathi and ABP Live reported that the immersion is now expected around 10:30–11 PM tonight. The delay—a first in the history of Lalbaugcha Raja visarjan—has left many devotees anxious and emotional, with some moved to tears at the Chowpatty.
The atmosphere at Girgaon remains electrifying yet tense, with chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya” filling the air. Devotees, including notable personalities like Anant Ambani, have joined the farewell procession, underscoring the cultural and spiritual significance of this event. Police, volunteers, and even a helicopter have been deployed for crowd management and safety monitoring.
As Mumbai waits for the final immersion late tonight, faith and devotion continue to bind lakhs of people together, making the farewell of Lalbaugcha Raja one of the most emotional moments of this year’s Ganesh festival.
