MUMBAI: The festival of Ganeshotsav gets off to a colourful start on Tuesday with the morning's installation aarti.
Households and mandals alike have put their best foot forward to welcome their favourite god on his annual homecoming.
Maharashtra's favourite deity arrives on his annual sojourn September 19-28.
The idols of Ganesh Gully, Lalbaug, as well as GSB Seva Mandal, King"s Circle, were unveiled for a brief first look Sunday. Hundreds of mobile cameras were held aloft as devotees captured the inaugural images.
The final weekend before Ganeshotsav saw festive shopping come to a peak at markets citywide on Saturday and Sunday. Devotees have been purchasing the makhar used to house the idol apart from decorations, flower garlands, incense and puja material. Modak sales will gather pace this evening on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Most large Ganpatis have been installed in their pandals. The stately Ganraj Vashicha Raja Navi Mumbaicha was led home in a grand procession on Friday evening, said mandal president Vijay Walunj. It will be enthroned in a palace setting.
K A Viswanathan of Matunga said flowers had become very expensive on the eve of the festival. "The increase in rates is mainly due to transportation and loss due to heavy rains in rural areas, said a vendor. There are 50 flower merchants in Matunga alone. One vendor says these rates are only for today as it may go up if we do not get replacements tomorrow. Today the Matunga flower market is very congested as it is the day before Ganesh Chaturthi. Flowers are coming from Pune, Nashik, Vasai, Virar, Bengaluru, Bhiwandi, Madurai and Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu," he said.
