A total of 66,299 idols, including 5,953 of Goddess Gauri, were immersed in the sea, rivers, lakes and other water bodies across Mumbai on the fifth day of the Ganpati festival, civic officials said on Wednesday.
There was no report of any untoward incident during the fifth day immersions on Tuesday, they said.
The 10-day festival, which in normal times used to witness large gatherings and long queues outside public mandals which host the celebrations, is being held in a subdued manner for the second year in a row due to restrictions imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the fifth day of the celebrations on Tuesday, 66,299 idols were immersed, including 34,299 in artificial ponds set up in various parts of the city to avoid crowding at natural water bodies, a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said.
Of the total immersed idols, 1,193 were of Ganpati ‘Sarvajanik’ (public) mandals, 59,153 household Ganesh idols and 5,953 idols of Goddess Gauri.
Among the idols immersed in artificial water bodies, 30,636 were domestic Ganesh idols, 658 of public mandals and 3,005 idols of Goddess Gauri, the official said.
On the commencement of the festival last Friday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray urged citizens to launch a strong movement against the coronavirus.
Thackeray had said said he prayed to Lord Ganesh to destroy all “evil and negativity”, as the festival was being held amid the pandemic and looming threat of a third wave.