Ganeshotsav 2021: No Processions, Yes To Immersions, BMC Has Got New Guidelines For Ganpati 2021

Unlike last year, new Ganpati guidelines for this year are a tad bit more relaxed. This year around, BMC has allowed immersion of Ganesh idols in the sea and natural lakes across the city. With a looming threat of a third wave of the pandemic, these guidelines have come in.

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While immersions are allowed, processions are still banned in the city. All the big mandals will have to keep online darshan only. There are as many as 13,000 Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandals in Mumbai. Not only that, for immersions also there is a crowd-limit. BMC officials said that only 10 members per mandal will be allowed at natural immersion sites. Image for representation
At these sites, the mandal members will not be allowed into the water body. Only BMC staff will be allowed to venture into the water. So the mandal members will have to hand over their Bappa to the staff who will immerse them in the waters. Senior citizens and children are banned from immersion sites. Mumbai currently has 84 sites for immersions.

According to a mid-day report, Naresh Dahibaokar, president of Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, said, “We have been allowed this year to visit public beaches and natural waterfronts unlike last year where public places were shut, it is a welcome move. But we have appealed to increase the cap of 10 members and make it 20 members that are fully vaccinated.”

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BMC has laid down strict COVID-19 protocols to be followed during Ganpati. They have instructed that there should be no crowding at Ganpati sites. For home Ganeshotsav, the idol height this year has been capped at 2 feet and for mandals it is capped at 4 feet.
We hope this year people choose to have low-key celebrations too and avoid the risk of inviting another deadly COVID-19 wave.
News Source: mid-day