Mumbai: Lord Ganesh idols were immersed all over the State in big processions and they were the show of money power. Especially in Mumbai and Pune, the immersion went on till late night causing traffic jams all over the city. The processions were going on with hideous dancing, lot of jostling, harassment of ladies etc. Some people were deploring such activities.
Nowadays even small Ganesh idols are taken in procession with lot of pomp. As the traffic police had anticipated all such problems, 24 roads were closed for traffic and on 44 roads, traffic was allowed only in one direction. The scene was more or less similar even in other districts. It was very easy to sabotage in such chaos.
Many local Ganesh Committees had made arrangements for security at immersion sites. The noise created by all the instruments was way beyond the limits of noise pollution. Playing of music was not stopped even when the processions were passing by hospitals showing utter disregard towards social obligations. Some of the workers participating in the processions were drunk and were dancing hideously.
In one such procession, a person was wearing a mask of ghost and was scaring others. Two Sanatan Sanstha’s seekers explained to him about how to celebrate Ganesh festival and what was the right method of immersion as per science. He then removed the mask. Although there was a mob of thousands of people at Girgaon Chowpatty, one of the immersion sites but the policemen were conspicuous by their absence as all the police force was engaged in guarding VIPs. Many were taking photographs although there was prohibition on taking photos.
Source: Daily Sanatan Prabhat
