The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will also be seen on the most awaited festival of Mumbai this year. After Lalbaugh cha Raja, another leading Ganpati mandal, Chinchpokli cha Chintamani in Parel has decided to cancel public Ganeshotsv celebrations due to coronavirus.
Both organizers of the venues of Lalbaugh and Chinchpokli called off celebrations as scriptures do not permit reducing the height of the idol and since it draws thousands of daily worshippers every year.Breaking the tradition of idol building that has been around for the last 100 years, the organizers will worship a small silver figurine of the lord in their office. Earlier, the stately Chintamani idol measured 22 ft from base to crown.
Speaking to Times of India, Chintamani’s vice-president Praneel Panchal said, “It took five to six meetings for our core committee to arrive at this hard decision. We are an old responsible mandal and wish to set an example for others. Since it will become impossible to maintain social distancing, we will curtail public rituals and confine pujas to small gatherings.”Historically, the mandal plays a big role in the city as it was the first one to be instituted in the mill worker’s belt of Parel, even before Ganesh Gully and Lalbaugh cha Raja. The mandal has decided to organize health drives and Covid-19 test camps throughout the year. They have also decided to donate medical instruments to civic hospitals and organize blood donation drives.
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