Ganeshotsav : 88% increase in number of idols immersed on 5th day

Ganeshotsav : 88% increase in number of idols immersed on 5th day

MUMBAI: The city witnessed an 88% increase in the total number of Ganpati idols immersed on the fifth day of visarjan compared to the previous year.

According to official data from the BMC, last year 43,385 idols were immersed while at the same time this year, 81,570 idols were immersed on the fifth day.

This year a significant portion of idols found their way into artificial ponds i.e. of the 81,570 idols that were immersed as many as 32,719 were immersed in artificial lakes which had been made by the civic authorities at various locations in Mumbai to avoid crowding at the city beaches.  Immersions in artificial lakes also peaked by 173% (from 11,979 last year to 32,719 this year).

A BMC official said that the increase could be due to several reasons like more citizens bringing the idol home and also many choosing to keep the idol for a period of five days rather than 1.5 days so that family and friends could come for a visit.