Today was the 10th and final day of Ganesh Chaturthi known as Ganesh Visarjan. On this day, the Ganpati idols are transported to the sea where Ganesha is deposited so he can return home. All of the idols kept in families homes have already been taken to local ponds or rivers earlier in the week. The only remaining Ganpatis are the large public ones that are taken by a scheduled procession that begins at 6pm and lasts until the morning. I had seen processions of the smaller Ganpatis go by with trails of people banging on drums and singing but I had yet to experience the larger procession. I really wanted to at least see the procession go by from a distance, I just had to find someone willing to take me. I was so excited when Gabby texted asking if I would like to go watch the Ganpati pass by from Byculla bridge.
The air felt different today as everyone everywhere was preparing for the festivities. My commute to work was so fast as the streets were empty in the morning since everyone either had a holiday or was working from home. I had requested to work from home but my request had been denied so I planned on coming home early. Maria was very concerned I would get stuck in traffic as they close the roads once the procession starts. What was the latest possible time we could leave from work was the topic of the office today since everyone was nervous they would get stuck. I ended up leaving the office at 2pm, an hour later than expected since my boss was refusing to let us go. Maria called in a panic so I put her on speaker and was finally let go. Saved by Maria.
At home it was Eugene’s birthday so I finished up my work, rested a bit and gave the cake a crumb coat. Every-time I heard the drums beginning I got so excited and had a fear that I was missing out. For me I felt the excitement in the air and feared I was going to miss seeing the Ganpatis. Sonali kept telling me to chill as I kept running to the window to catch a glimpse to see where the parade was at. It was raining in the afternoon and I realized I had yet to see the Ganpati that was right across from Sonali’s building so I put on my raincoat and headed to see it before it left.
The Ganpati was housed in the lane in a huge tent that was ornately decorated. The idol was larger than expected and had gold elephant ears and gold behind its heads. Many fresh marigold garlands were hung around its neck and Ganesha was seated in a royal throne. I loved seeing how extensively decorated and unique each idol was.
At around 7pm, I called Gabby to ask if we could head out and she said Lal Baug, the largest Ganpati in Mumbai, would reach Byculla bridge by 8:30pm but I was so excited to experience the processions I left early. I was like a kid at Christmas - I was that excited to be a part of all the excitement all around. Maria had warned me not to get into the crowds as it would only be drunk men dancing but to my surprise there were actually tons of women out and dancing as well. The men were tasked with moving the Ganpati and only the men are allowed to immerse the idol in the sea.
The first Ganpati I saw go by was the one in Mazgaon court that I had seen earlier in the day. I caught it right behind the back gate as it was going by. A new headboard for transportation had been built and it sat on the back of a truck with kids sitting on the platform. In front of the Ganpati are the bright lights followed by the drummers and then the Ganpati. The whole procession moves very slowly stopping every couple of feet so people can dance along.
Further up near Mazgaon circle I met Gabby and her mother and we went to see a couple more Ganpati’s go by. The whole city was out on the streets dressed up and having a good time. We stood on the side of the street watching the parade enjoying the music and people dancing in the streets. I noticed that a lot of the men were dressed in white kurtas and throwing red color everywhere in celebration. I also noticed that all of the Ganpatis were being pushed by men rather than driven by truck as they had arrived. As the Ganpati went by, there was a cloud of confetti thrown and more marigold flower garlands draped around the Ganpati’s neck.
Filled with excitement we walked to Byculla bridge where crowds had started to line up in anticipation. It was still early so we waited around wondering how long it would take. Apparently Gabby has been coming to see the Ganpati’s pass for the last three years. I loved having an adventure buddy!
Curiosity killed us so we walked forward to see if we could find the Lal Baug Ganpati or at least gauge how far away it was. We came to the main road where it was all open and people were coming and going. In the middle of the street hung a massive garland that would be placed on the Ganpati as it passed by. There was even one garland people were climbing up to stick rupee notes to.
In a side lane there was yet another Ganpati passing by. This idol was decorated with a floral headboard that was so beautiful and vibrant. I loved the bright colors of the flowers and how artistically they had arranged the flowers. Each idol belongs to a certain building or cluster of buildings and this building had chosen to wear yellow so all of the men were dressed up in bright yellow kurtas. Even the kids were dressed up in matching outfits!
At last we caught sight of the bright lights of Lal Baug! We couldn’t see the idol since it was behind the blinding lights but it was still so far away! We estimated it might be a whole hour before it passed us. This was my first time experiencing the Mumbai crowds and it was such an experience. I climbed up on the center barrier just to be able to capture the sea of people who had come out to celebrate. We got scared when two army buses came racing through the crowds and hoped that it meant the Lal Baug was near, but it sadly did not.
Gabby and I moved to the other side behind a chain fence where there was an opening and decided to chill there for a while as we chatted and watched the people go by admiring the different outfits. Gabby pointed out that all the saris I liked that were very heavy with work, were the Gujarati style. I also liked sequined kurtas the men were wearing.
After waiting and waiting, the Lal Baug had finally arrived. First came a police bus with bars on it followed by two big trucks with massive lights on it. As the Ganpati neared, bursts of color were thrown and confetti popped. At one point there was a basket of flowers that was dropped onto the Ganpati. Lal Baug Ganpati had so many floral garlands the priests were ripping them off and tossing out individual marigolds to the crowd. The crowd was going crazy for the marigolds that had touched the sacred deity.
As the idol went by I climbed onto the small ledge before the fence above and was hanging on with one hand for a better view. From the ledge I got incredible views of the Ganpati but also of the entire crowds. It was insane how many people there were! As the Ganpati passed the thickest part of the sea of people also passed pushing and shoving. I held on to Gaby and thankfully the police had control of the crowd and no one was trampled. We had to wait for a little bit to move and begin our walk back to Sonali’s house.
On the way back we jumped as sparklers went off right in front of us and laughed it as they crackers and sparklers were everywhere. I made it back to enjoy Eugene’s birthday dinner with his relatives he had invited over.
This was my first time experiencing Ganpati and what a memorable experience it was! We don’t have festivals like this in the U.S. and definitely nothing near as loud or chaotic. For me it was something else to be able to experience the Mumbai crowds, the energy, and witness my first Hindu festival. I had a blast!
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