Mumbaikars bid audieu to Lord Ganesha

Mumbai, Sep 6 (UNI) Lord Ganesh, the patron deity of Maharashtra and the elephant-headed God of wisdom was given audieu by Mumbaikars as he proceeded towards his watery abode after spending 11 days among his devotees only to be welcomed next year with equal excitement.

''Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar ya'' (Hail the Lord, Come again soon next year) and '' Ganpati Gele Gavala, Chain padena Amhala'' (The Lord has gone home leaving us sad) rented the air as idols of the Lord, considered harbinger of good luck and remover of all obstabcles, in different shapes and sizes made their way to lakes, rivers and the sea for immersion.

The Ganesh Visarjan or 'Anant Chaturdashi' falls on the 14th day of the bright half of the month of Bhadrapad. It marks the end of the 11 day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.

The processions commenced with great fanfare and religious fervour since early this morning the celebrations are expected to continue till the late hours to night and the next morning.

The procession of ''Lalbagh cha Raja'', the most popular and revered sarvajanik Ganesh idol began at 1100 hrs. The procession will reach Girgaum chowpatty for immersion in the early hours tommorrow morning. The procession also goes through the thickly populated muslim areas of the city where it is welcomed with equal enthusiam signifying the communal harmony of the city.

At the Girgaum Chowpatty, the main venue of immersions, a sea of humanity was seen as lakhs of people thronged the shore to immerse the idols.

Elaborate security arrangments have been to ensure that the immersions were carried out peacefully at 82 different spots in and around the city.

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