Mumbai witness tight security ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi

Security has been stepped up in Mumbai ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival that marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha.

Mumabi, Sept. 11 : Security has been stepped up in Mumbai ahead of 'Ganesh Chaturthi', the festival that marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha.

Over 20,000 police personnel and 2,000 traffic officials have been deployed in the city to secure the festivities.

Several religious bodies, which organise the festival, have taken preventive measures themselves to ensure no untoward incident take place.

"In pandals, metal detectors, circuit TVs, cameras and other facilities have been arranged. But in small pandals where only few devotees, around 1000 come, such elaborate security is not possible. However, we have told them at least to keep metal detectors," said Pandurang Jadhav, President of Ganesh Festival Coordination Committee.

In addition to routine patrolling, Mumbai police have also deployed sniffer dog squads and additional force to ensure smooth conduct of the festivities.

"Preventive measures such as placing sand bags around the compound and CCTVs have been taken," said Ashok Kadam, President of Dongri (South Mumbai) Ganesh Festival Organisation.

During the ten-day-long festival, scheduled to be start from September 15, Ganesha idols are worshipped at hundreds of 'pandals' or makeshift tents before immersing in water bodies.

For years, Ganesh Chaturthi was a personal or private affair, celebrated at homes. But at the turn of the century, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a fighter for freedom from British rule, converted it into a public event, using it as a platform for political propaganda.

The festival is hugely popular in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Legend has it that Hindu Goddess Parvati had created Ganesh from a perfumed putty-like substance, used to remove dirt from her body in an ancient self-cleansing ritual, the equivalent of a modern bath.

Parvati's husband Lord Shiva, one of the three most powerful Gods in the Hindu pantheon, flew into rage and beheaded the young lad and barred his entry into Kailash, Shiva's snow-clad mountain abode.

When he later realised that the boy was created by his wife Parvati during his absence, Shiva brought him back to life by slaying an elephant and giving him the animal's head. Thus was created Ganesh, one of the best-loved of Indian gods.

ANI