Vinayaka Chathurthi is a very popular festival across the Country. Ganesh Maharaj, Ganapathi, Vinayaka, Vigneshwarar – in various forms is celebrated in Temples, households and in Pandals made by groups/ Mandals where the idol of Vinayaka is kept, worshipped and then immersed in river / sea and water after worship.
While there are so many
restrictions in keeping Vinayaka idols in Tamil Nadu, across the Nation – it is
done much more enthusiastically and in Mumbai the religious fervour reaches
newer heights every year. Some time back
- a Radio provided treasured opportunity for its listeners to
watch ‘Ganpati Visarjan’ from a chopper flying above the Arabian Sea. Their
‘Dekho Visarjan Aasman Se’, involved a simple process where a customer just needs to download a ‘Ganesha’
caller tune on his phone by sending an SMS – RJ would choose one lucky subscriber randomly from the
pool of registered downloaders. Next
the RJ would ask a simple question, the correct answer to that
question ensures one to fly high,
enjoying the once-in-a-lifetime experience of watching ‘Ganesh Visarjan’ from a
chopper.
There are many Pandals – put up by local Organisations with ornately made Ganesha idols. Lalbaugcha Raja is one of the most popular ones. The idol is kept for public display for Eleven days thereafter it is immersed on the auspicious day of Anant Chaturdashi. This Ganesha attracts lakhs of devotees every day. The Idol of Lord Ganesha is Navsacha Ganpati (fulfiller of all wishes). This popular Ganesha is hosted by Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, Lalbaug, founded in 1934 at Lalbaug. Lalbaug lies in the approximate centre of Mumbai, near Dadar and Parel, and has been a famous centre for reunions of Hindus during their festivals, especially the Ganesh festival.
From ornaments to insurance, Mumbai’s richest Ganesh mandal is the one at King’s circle - GSB Seva Mandal pandal
Gowd Saraswat Brahman (GSB)
Seva Mandal, Mumbai, was established in the year 1951 on the auspicious day of
Vijaya Dashami. Gaud Saraswat Brahmins also known as Shenvis are a Hindu community
who primarily speak Konkani and its various dialects as their mother tongue. They
trace their origins to the Saraswat
region, which is believed to be located along the banks of the now-dried-up
Sarasvati River in ancient India. They are believed to have migrated to the
Konkan coast, including Goa, around the 7th century CE from Guada desh (present
Bihar and Bengal).
The mandal’s website
states that few members of our Samaj who were working in Kamala Mills came
together to form a team of individuals who could arrange for funerals &
related rituals under the banner of GSB Seva Mandal. Thus started the humble
journey of GSB Seva Mandal where such likeminded members would meet once a
week. In the early days they decided to utilize the time in devotion and
started doing Bhajans. Thus, in those days, Seva Mandal was & still is a
synonym for funeral assistance. Bhajans were performed in a small room at
Prabhadevi, which till date remains their Registered
Office.
Great leader and Mentor, Smt. Madhav Puranik led them to Walkeshwar Shri Kashi Math and started performing seva - the GSB as an Organization was established in 1951 as a non-profit, charitable trust and registered under the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950. GSB Seva Mandal has been at the forefront of social and charitable causes reaching out to the needy and underprivileged. Their guiding philosophy is : ' Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah.' To transform philosophy into a tangible reality, they endeavour to build a 100 bed multi speciality, charitable Hospital at Versave, Mira - Bhayander. During Covid 19 pandemic, they initiated "Santusht Anna Dana Seva" for the patients' relatives at various Hospitals in the heart of Mumbai & Thane.
GSB Seva Mandal Ganpati festival is held at the G.S.B. Sports Club Ground, near S.N.D.T. Women’s College, R.A. Kidwai Road, King’s Circle, Matunga (East), Mumbai – 400019. The Ganpati idol, revered as Mahaganpati, is popularly called Navsala Pavnara Vishvacha Raja — “the king of the world who fulfills the desires of devotees".
Adorned with approximately
66 kg of gold and over 295–336 kg of silver and other valuables, making it one
of India’s most brilliantly ornately decorated idols. The idol is crafted from
eco friendly clay (shadu mati), reinforced with grass and colored using natural
paints—maintaining a sustainable approach to decoration. In this pandal, the
celebration lasts only five days, unlike most mandals where the idol is
worshipped for 10 days. This year, the pandal will display the idol from Aug.
27 till Aug. 31, according to the mandal’s website.
Away from the religious fervour, there is avenue for the Insurer as well. More than a decade ago, in 2011 Mumbai's famous Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh mandal reportedly had insurance for Rs.14 crores. To ensure a safe festival, they had elaborate security arrangements, deployed 300 private guards, installed many CCTV cameras.
This year, perhaps GSB Mandal is the highest value insured. It’s website suggests that the coverage for 2025 is taken for INR 400 crores (though another X post puts it at Rs.474 crores) – reportedly insured with PSU New India Insurance. This includes All risks Insurance coverage for ornaments – Gold, Silver and Jewellery amounting to 43.15 crores; Standard Fire & Special perils insurance for FFF, installations, Computers, CCTV, QR scanners, utensils, groceries, fruits and vegetables; Public liability insurance for 30 crores; 325 Cr Personal accident insurance for Volunteers, Archakas, Cooks, valet and other workers, security guards; besides coverage for the venue premises.
Before concluding, the Industrial
revolution enveloped Bombay in 1850s. In
1854, Cowasji Nanabhai Davar, a visionary
entrepreneur, established one of the first textile mills in Bombay pioneering India's textile industry,
shaping the economic and social landscape of the nation for decades to come. The
significance of cotton mills in India's industrialization was impactful. During the colonial period, cotton was one of
the primary raw materials exported from India to feed the burgeoning textile
industries in Britain. Kamala Mills was
established in the 1960s as a textile processing unit. However, over the years,
it evolved into a complex hosting various industries, including media,
technology, and hospitality, turning into a
prominent commercial complex in Lower Parel, Mumbai, renowned for its
vibrant dining and nightlife scene. In
Dec 2017, a major fire broke out here originating in a bar and killing 14
people.
Regards – S Sampathkumar
29.8.2025
PS: Pics
& news collated from GSB web and other web including X. Some pics are of earlier years !
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