New Delhi: Ganeshtosav or Ganesh Chaturthi, the 10-day long festival began on Saturday. The festival is celebrated with much gaiety and grandeur in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat among other states.
However, the festival this year is being celebrated in a much more restricted way amidst the global pandemic situation. The social distancing norms will prevent people from celebrating the festival in the congregation.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray along with his family members offered prayers to Lord Ganesha at his residence in Mumbai.
The Chief Minister offered prayers with his wife Rashmi Thackeray and sons Aditya Thackeray and Tejas Thackeray. The family was seen performing ‘arti’ together. The Sena chief also took to Twitter to wish everyone a happy Ganesh Chaturthi.
The Maharashtra government has issued guidelines regarding the festival, stating that the processions should not be taken out before installing and immersing idols.
गणपती बाप्पा मोरया! ?? pic.twitter.com/N9qLl14RFu
— CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) August 22, 2020
Also, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has urged devotees to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in a low-key manner and avoid crowding in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Famous Lalbaug mandal celebrates but on small scale
Meanwhile, the Lalbaug Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal, one of the prominent mandals in Mumbai, is celebrating the Ganesh Chaturthi festival on a smaller scale this year due to COVID-19 this year.
According to the organisers, the devotees have been urged to take an online glimpse of Lord Ganesh from their homes. However, proper arrangements of sanitisers and temperature measurements have been made by the mandal for visitors.
Speaking to ANI, Swapanil Parab, Secretary of Lalbaug Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal, “Every year we have 22 feet Lord Ganesh, but this year we have only 4 feet tall idol as we are celebrating the festival on a small scale due to government’s guidelines on crowd prevention.”
“We are encouraging people to take the blessings of the lord from their homes as they as they can watch it through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram,” he added.
Goa CM offers prayers to Lord Ganesha
Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant also offered prayers to Lord Ganesha at his hometown in Kothambi. The Chief Minister along with his wife Sulakshana and other family members sought blessings of Lord Ganesha and wished for everyone’s happiness and prosperity.
“Prayed to Lord Ganesha for the prosperity and wellbeing of all Goans,” Sawant tweeted.
Prayed to Lord Ganesha for the prosperity and wellbeing of all Goans. ? pic.twitter.com/U04mQ5tCbR
— Dr. Pramod Sawant (@DrPramodPSawant) August 22, 2020
The 10-day long festivity will end with the final immersion of the Ganesha idols, called the Visarjan.
