Ahmedabad, 26 May 2020
Circumstances are taking shape in Gujarat including Ahmedabad that Rathyatra and Ganesh Utsav will not be celebrated this year due to Corona. Corona infections are more likely to occur as crowds gather at both festivals. Therefore, there is a possibility that the Gujarat government will have to ban it.
Ganpati Utsav in Maharashtra is being declared voluntarily to be closed. It will start in Gujarat now.
The number of public Ganesh festivals in Gujarat is more than 5 lakh. In Surat alone, 60 thousand Ganapati Pandals are established. While about 600 rathyatras take place on public roads across the state. In Gujarat, Rathyatra festival is celebrated in Ahmedabad most of the time, similarly Ganpati Mahotsav is celebrated as the biggest festival in Surat. More than 61,000 statues were installed in Surat last year. After the completion of Ganesh Mahotsav, the tradition of dismantling the statue is likely to be broken.
Due to the outbreak of coronavirus, one of the most famous Ganapati Mandals in Mumbai, GSB Mandal has decided not to celebrate Ganeshotsav this year. Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on 22nd August 2020. For 9 days it is celebrated with much fanfare in Maharashtra, Gujarat and the entire Hindi region. A large number of devotees gather. This is the reason why GSB has taken such a decision as there is a risk of getting infected with the corona virus this time.
GSB Mandal will now organize Ganeshotsav in the month of February next year. GSB Mandal is one of the richest congregations in Mumbai for organizing Ganeshotsav.
According to the Puranas, Ganapati was born on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. During Ganeshotsav, idols of Lord Ganesha are installed in different parts of the country. According to the rules, the idol of Ganapati Bappa is worshiped for a full nine days. Then people dance in groups and throw idols in the river or sea.
Devotees of Lord Ganesha celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm. Apart from this, Ganapati is very much aware of the pendulum till immersion. Devotees visit famous temples across the country to pay homage to Lord Ganesha.