Patna: Patna is set to mark Ganesh Chaturthi with grand celebrations, with a six-foot replica of Mumbai’s iconic Lalbaugcha Raja brought to the city for the occasion. The idol, which arrived on Monday, will be consecrated in the morning before being opened for public viewing.
The festivities, organised by the Maharashtra Mandal in Patna, feature a 40-foot-high pandal designed with military motifs under the theme of “Operation Sindoor”. The pavilion is decorated with figures of soldiers, while more than 10 tonnes of flowers sourced from Bengal, Bengaluru and Mumbai will be used on the day of the puja.
A highlight of the celebration will be Lord Ganesha’s diamond-studded gold crown, valued at Rs 35 lakh (£33,000), weighing 350 grams and brought from Mumbai. The crown features a six-carat diamond at its centre, according to the Maharashtra Mandal’s secretary, Sanjay Bhosale. The idol will also be adorned with gold, silver and stone ornaments. Senior political leaders, including the chief minister, deputy chief minister and governor, have been invited to attend.
The consecration ceremony (pran pratishtha) begins at 10am on August 27 and will be followed by an aarti and the offering of 101 modaks, a sweet traditionally associated with Lord Ganesha. Devotees will be able to visit from 11.30am. The rituals will be conducted by priest Prashant Jagirdar from Maharashtra, accompanied by five other priests. A haldi-kumkum ceremony for women is scheduled for August 29.
Cultural programmes will run alongside the religious events. On August 31, bhajan singers from Maharashtra will perform, while a 50-member Jhanj Pathak team from Nashik – comprising 25 men and 25 women – will join the Ganesh immersion procession on September 2. The procession will move through the city before culminating in the immersion at Collectorate Ghat.
