Lalbaugcha Raja Ganapati immersion delayed by 13 hours amid high tide, technical snags; fishermen cry ‘betrayal’

The immersion of Mumbai’s most iconic Ganesh idol, Lalbaugcha Raja, at Girgaon Chowpatty was delayed by nearly 13 hours this year, breaking long-standing traditions and sparking anger among devotees and the city’s fishermen community.

The 18-foot idol, whose procession began on Anant Chaturdashi, is usually immersed by 9 am the next day.

This year, however, a high tide in the morning forced organisers to postpone the immersion, which finally took place around 10:30 pm, coinciding with the sutak period during the lunar eclipse, considered inauspicious by many devotees.

Adding to the disruption, the floating platform built from Koli (fishermen) boats, a decades-old tradition, faced technical snags that left the idol stranded at the seafront for hours.

Organisers had opted for a new mechanised system, sidelining the fishermen, which sparked outrage within the community.

“This idol belongs to everyone, not just one group,” community members told NDTV, recalling that Lalbaugcha Raja was established in 1934 after fishermen made a vow to Lord Ganesh during a financial crisis in their fish market.

They alleged that over the years, their traditional role in the immersion had been gradually cut down, and this year they were denied the chance to offer their “last darshan” from their boats altogether.

“Lord Ganesh himself stopped the immersion for 13 hours and allowed us to offer prayers,” one fisherman said, suggesting the delays were symbolic.

The community also accused organisers of prioritising VIPs over ordinary devotees, calling the treatment “unfair.” They demanded that a fishermen’s representative be included in the organising committee, ensuring the descendants of those who established the festival are not sidelined.

The rare disruption has stirred debate in Mumbai over preserving traditions versus modernising immersion logistics, with many devotees calling for a balance between safety, technology, and cultural roots.