One of the biggest festivals of Maharashtra, the Ganesh Chaturthi is just a couple of months away. To ensure that the protocols of safety are maintained during the celebrations, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray has made some fresh declarations. Conducting a meeting, the CM has urged the representatives of the Ganesh Mandals in Mumbai to keep the idols shorter and the pandals smaller this year. Also, a few days earlier, CM Thackeray had asked the Mandal authorities to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi 2020 in a ‘low-key’ manner. The Mandals are ready to abide by the rules underlined by the Maharashtra government regarding the celebrations.
Ganesh Chaturthi In Maharashtra To Have Shorter Idols And Smaller Pandals
Ganesh Chaturthi is scheduled to start on August 22, 2020. The 10-day long festival is considered as the most important festival in Maharashtra. During the commemoration of this festival, a large number of people flock to the streets for processions, chanting in unison, “Ganapati Bappa Moriya”. Huge crowds of people sing and dance, accompanying the grandiose idol of Lord Ganesha. More than 2,00,000 Ganpati statues are worshipped during this festival in Maharashtra. This year, the vibes of the festival will be missed. The Mandal representatives have been asked to ensure hygiene and maintain social distancing. The government has also suggested that they can set up health camps and conduct awareness programmes about the pandemic. We take this opportunity to take you through seven unique Ganesh Idols of Ganesh Chaturthi 2019, Mumbai.
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What Else?
Many big festivals in India even got cancelled in the wake of the pandemic. The most prominent example is the ‘Thrissur Pooram’, the biggest temple festival in Kerala. Some other rituals are being observed with only a small number of people. The Rath Yatra in Puri started with no public attendance. Even Kedarnath and Badrinath temples in Uttarakhand opened up in the absence of pilgrims.
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Merrimaking and celebrations can wait, the coronavirus won’t. So, even if you are taking part in any of these festivals, make sure to adhere to the guidelines of social distancing. After all, safety comes first. On that note, watch the magnificence of the 22-feet paper Ganapati at Mumbai’s Tejukaya Ganpati Mandal!