Patna: Patna is gearing up for an extravagant celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi on August 27, with the Maharashtra Mandal organising a grand event inspired by the theme of Operation Sindoor. Artisans have begun constructing a 40-foot-high pandal, which will serve as the centrepiece of the festivities.
A six-foot-tall idol of Lord Ganesha is being transported from Mumbai by road. The idol, modelled after the famous Lal Bagh statue in Mumbai, will be adorned with ten tonnes of flowers sourced from Bengal, Bangalore and Mumbai.
Highlighting the opulence of this year’s event, Lord Ganesha will wear a diamond-studded gold crown worth ₹35 lakh, featuring a six-carat diamond at its centre. The crown, weighing 350 grams, will be accompanied by gold, silver, and gemstone jewellery. Sanjay Bhosale, secretary of the Maharashtra Mandal, said the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Governor had been invited to participate.
The rituals will commence with Pran Pratishtha at 10 am, followed by Aarti and the offering of 101 modaks. Devotees can view the idol from 11:30 am. Priest Prashant Jagirdar, accompanied by five pandits from Maharashtra, will perform the puja. On the evening of August 29, women devotees will participate in a haldi-kumkum ceremony, exchanging turmeric and vermilion as a symbol of good fortune.
Cultural performances will continue into the evening of August 31, featuring bhajan artists from Maharashtra. On September 2, a 50-member team of Jhanj Pathak performers from Nashik, comprising 25 men and 25 women, will join a grand procession. The route will take the idol from the Maharashtra Mandal to the Collectorate Ghat, passing prominent city landmarks including Income Tax Golambar, Dakbungla Square, Peermuhani, Kadamkuan, Bakarganj and Gandhi Maidan, where the idol will be immersed.
