Maghi Ganesh mandals await HC order on PoP idols to determine visarjan date
Mumbai: Over three months since
Maghi Ganeshotsav
ended Feb 11, two tall Ganpati idols carved from plaster of paris (PoP) continue to remain in their pandals in Kandivli, face covered, awaiting immersion. The mandals now plan to perform visarjan "within a few days" if a PIL in
Bombay High court
is decided in their favour June 9.
The Kandivli Cha Shree mandal had led a visarjan yatra Feb 11 but brought its idol back to the pandal. The other organiser Charkop Cha Raja too retained its idol. In the wake of PIL filed by activist Rohit Joshi from Thane, the Bombay high court had "prohibited manufacture, sale and immersion of
PoP idols
."
The mandals declined to do so in artificial tanks built by BMC for this purpose
Sagar Bamnolikar, treasurer of Kandivli Cha Shree said Monday, "We are keen to immerse our idol within a few days.
Firstly the monsoon is scheduled to arrive earlier than usual this year. Secondly the Bombay high court will pronounce judgement in the PIL on June 9. If it is decided in our favour, we may conduct visarjan on June 10."
The Shree's mandal is still keen to head to Marve seafront for immersion as they do each year despite the HC ban and BMC strictures. On Monday, thousands of devotees were being amassed via social media for the visarjan yatra in a show of strength.
Nikhil Gudhekar, president of Charkop Cha Raja said, "Both mandals are working together to determine the
visarjan date
. However, if the HC verdict does not permit us to immerse in the sea, we will keep the idol and reuse it the following year. That is the custom observed by Ganesh mandals in Pune which we will emulate."
Mandals are reluctant to utilise the BMC's artificial tanks which they say are "small and inadequate for large idols spanning 10-15 ft as theirs".
"We have noticed civic workers using JCBs to extract fragments afterwards, which hurts our sentiments," one organiser said.
Interestingly, Ganesh mandals claim that PoP idols of Goddess Durga were allowed to be immersed during Chaitra Navratra. "Neither police nor civic authorities stopped them. These include the idols of mandals led by politicians Eknath Shinde, Pratap Sarnaik and Rajan Vichare in Thane," they said.
The 10-day Ganeshotsav of Bhadrapad which comes up Aug 27 will be a litmus test. Leading PoP moortikar Siddhesh Dighole will open his workshop in Parel Tuesday. "I must start work in order to cater to outstation orders. I will begin crafting local orders once the high court gives its verdict on the PoP matter June 9. I am purchasing material and hoping that the investment does not go to waste."
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