Maharashtra braces to welcome Bappa, festivities commence ahead of Ganeshotsav

Mumbai: Maharashtra has braced up for the 11-day-long Ganeshotsav - the biggest festival of the state - with people welcoming Lord Ganesha to their homes and pandals since the weekend.

This is for the first time that Ganeshotsav is being celebrated as Rajya Mahotsav or State Festival.

In 2025, the 11-day-long Ganeshotsav would be celebrated from 27 August (Wednesday)- 6 September (September).

The financial capital of Mumbai, state’s cultural capital Pune, pilgrimage capital of Nashik, the coastal Konkan region and elsewhere in Maharashtra - the streets have been lit up and the festive mood could be witnessed.

The Mumbai-Pune-Nashik belt or the Golden Triangle is known for its unique celebrations.

As Ganeshotsav is declared as a State Festival, the Maharashtra Tour Guides and Tourists Facilitators Association, in association with Tour Guides Association-Mumbai and Maharashtra Tourism, is specially conducting pandal hopping tours during the festival.

The five Mumbai pandals are - Fort Cha Icchapurti Ganesh, Keshavji Naik Chawl, Girgaum, Mumbai Ka Raja, GaneshGalli, Lalbaug, GSB Seva Mandal Ganpati, King’s Circle, GSB Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samiti, Wadala and Chinchpoklicha Chintamani.

On Wednesday morning, on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, the ‘sthaapna’ pooja would be performed followed by traditional ‘aartis' to mark the birth of Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati

Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed-pot-bellied God of wisdom, brings in prosperity and good fortune. Ganapati stands as a symbol of knowledge, as the lord of the lords as ‘Ganadhipati’ as the remover of obstacles ‘Vighnaharta’.

The public festival was initiated by Lokmanya Tilak in 1893 in Pune and Mumbai - to garner support for India’s freedom movement and address social issues.

In Mumbai, the origin of the festival in this form is from Keshavji Nayak Chawl at Girgaum.

In Mumbai, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made extensive arrangements.

“We are all ready for yet another year of great celebrations and this time it is a State Festival, which means a lot for us,” said Naresh Dahibhavkar, the President of BrihanMumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshutsav Samanvay Samiti (BSGSS), the apex body of Ganesh mandals in Mumbai.

“Mandal operations become more structured and regulated. There’s a clearer framework for setting up pandals, routes for processions, and public safety protocols. This often leads to smoother coordination with local law enforcement and civic bodies for crowd management and traffic control. Permitting processes are streamlined but can also become more rigorous, with authorities enforcing proper documentation, adherence to noise and safety norms, and checks on idol size/materials. Civic involvement increases as municipalities, pollution control boards, and waste management departments actively participate in preparations, sanitation, and post-festival cleanup, reducing civic disruption and improving public safety,” added Giresh Kulkarni, Founder of Temple Connect and ITCX, International Temples Convention & EXPO.

In Mumbai, the dazzling lights are giving festive look at the Lalbaugcha-Raja at Lalbaug, Ganesh Gully, Lalbaug, Tejukaya Mandal, Lalbaug, GSB Seva Mandal, Matunga-Kings’ Circle, GSB Sarvajanik Ganeshutsav Samiti, Wadala, Kethwadi, 11 thLane, Kethwadi, 12th Lane, Sahyadri Mandal, Tilak Nagar-Chembur, Shri BalGopal GaneshUtsav Mandal, Marine Lines, Fort Vibhag Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, Fort, Andheri-cha-Raja or the Azad Nagar Sarvajanik Utsav Samitee at Andheri.

In Pune, the mandals - Kasba Ganpati, Tambdi Jogeshwari, Tulsi Baug, Guruji Talim, Dagdusheth Halwai and Shrimant Bhausaheb Rangari Ganpati - are decked up.