Ganesh festival : Visarjan

On 17 September was Anant Chatrurdashi - the last day of the Ganesh festival - when the idols are set for immersion (visarjan) . Huge processions (drums banging, sweaty men and women dancing intoxicated, colour flying around, water being served by the roadsides) are seen on every major road leading to immersion points. The main one is at Girgaon Chowpatty Beach. Other major ones are at Dadar, Juhu, Versova. Also many ponds and small lakes and distributaries of nallas and rivers form immersion points. I was travelling back from office rather early - 3pm. when I spotted these two major idols from Chembur, which were making their way to Dadar. One is the famous Ganesh Idol of R.K. Studio (Raj Kapoor - the local filmstar of yesteryears).

What was a bit disturbing is that traffic is almost brought to a standstill all over Bombay from 4pm till midnight on Visarjan Day. Granted, that it facilitates the processions, but then we claim ourselves to be a secular republic. How can such activities curb normal life of a city ? Why is this allowed in the first place? They say its just for a day. But think of the inconveniences. Think of the people in distress - in ambulances - who need to be rushed to hospitals in emergency conditions. Think of those who need to catch connecting flights and trains. All this is is held up by the traffic and immersion processions. The Bombay Police makes elaborate arrangements and closes many atrerial roads - I mean how can this be done in the first place.