MUMBAI, INDIA, September 7, 2006: Devotees in Maharashtra bid farewell to their favorite Deity as thousands of Ganesha Deities were taken out for immersion into the sea under unprecedented security on Wednesday. As the eleven-day Ganesha festival drew to a close, the Deities were taken to various sea-fronts including Dadar, Girgaum, Juhu and Marve for the visarjana. The immersion processions would go on until early Thursday morning, as some of the city’s well-known Ganeshas, such as the “Lalbaugcha Raja,” pass their way through streets, stopping at every locality to enable people to pay their respects. This year a heavy police presence was evident, especially at major points such as Shivaji Park, Dadar sea face, Worli, Giragaum and Juhu, in view of the threat perception from the recent bomb attacks, while traffic was diverted at various points for smooth passage of the procession carrying the Deities.
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