Mumbai’s Ganesh festival season is showcasing a new generation of large idols built around balancing structures, concealed joints and alternative immersion methods, with mandals in Parel, Khetwadi, Sakinaka, Vile Parle and Marine Lines highlighting different approaches to scale and public display.
At Parel, sculptor Arun Datte has created a 22-ft balancing idol of Parelcha Maharaja, replicating the mandal’s 2025 presentation. The idol is tilted by about 45 degrees and appeared to onlookers to be suspended in midair during its aagman yatra on August 29. Mandal spokesperson Ashwin Gangan said the effect was designed to resemble the Maharaja flying and dancing to the rhythm of traditional musical instruments. Thousands of visitors have been visiting the mandal for darshan.
The scale of the idols has also placed greater attention on structural balance and transport. Khetwadi’s Mumbaicha Maharaja measures 45 ft and has been created in a Narasimha avatar, according to mandal president Hemant Dixit. Sculptor Sunil Varadkar has been working with the mandal since 2024. The mandal has commissioned large idols for 25 years, initially working with master sculptor Vijay Khatu.
Dixit said the recent mishap in Bhuleshwar had underlined the need for tall and heavy idols to be crafted with balance along the main pipe, arms and legs. He also identified the trolley as a crucial component in ensuring a smooth ride. The comments point to the importance of both the idol’s internal construction and the equipment used to move it through the city during public processions.
In Sakinaka, Andheri, sculptor Krunal Patil has created the 42-ft Sakinakyacha Maharaja in the Martand Malhar style. Mandal president Jitendra Gaikwad said the mandal considered it Maharashtra’s tallest Ganpati of 2026. Secretary Jack Jikamade said the idol received recognition from the Winners Book of World Records after officials visited on September 15.
Other mandals are combining large-scale design with different material and immersion choices. At Vile Parle East, tissue-paper sculptor Rajesh Mayekar has created a balancing tableau of the Saptarshi and Goddess Saraswati for Mumbaicha Peshwa. Mandal chief Vijay Naikude said the display was intended to promote responsible citizenship. The mandal has announced that it plans to use a sprinkler to melt the tissue-paper idol for immersion at Hanuman Road rather than take it to a lake or pond.
At Akhil Chandanwadi near Marine Lines, a 27-ft idol by sculptor Siddhesh Dighole depicts the Kedarnath jyotirling backstory. The idol shows Ganesh with a trident and damru while holding the hump of Shiva’s bull Nandi. The mandal, popularly known as the God Ganpati mandal, is approaching its 50th year in 2028, according to chief Prathamesh Sakpal. Together, the displays show how Mumbai’s festival infrastructure increasingly depends on the coordination of sculptors, mandals, transport equipment and immersion arrangements.
