Mumbai: Defying risk to their lives, villagers cross tracks for age-old immersion tradition

  • | Thursday | 20th September, 2018

(Deepak Joshi) Villagers from Thakurli cross the railway tracks during Ganesha idol immersion ritual. Villagers from Thakurli cross the railway tracks during Ganesha idol immersion ritual. However, when the railway tracks came up, it became difficult for the people to carry their boats across and they all started doing odd jobs. The residents of Thakurli, Kachore and Khambalpada cross the railway tracks, sometimes in a line and sometimes as a group, to reach the water body to bid Ganpati adieu. To ensure our safety, we do not cross the tracks alone,” said Bhaskar Choudhari, a resident of the village.

Villagers from Thakurli cross the railway tracks during Ganesha idol immersion ritual. (Deepak Joshi) Villagers from Thakurli cross the railway tracks during Ganesha idol immersion ritual. (Deepak Joshi) Idol immersion at the end of Ganesh festival — that generally stretches for five, seven or 10 days — is generally accompanied by various musical instruments, but in Thakurli, a watchman is also seen in tow. The residents of Thakurli, Kachore and Khambalpada cross the railway tracks, sometimes in a line and sometimes as a group, to reach the water body to bid Ganpati adieu. The revellers are caught in a tricky situation as crossing the tracks during the immersion procession is convenient for them, but civic officials consider the act to be illegal. Bharti Choudhari, who hosted the deity for seven days this year, has been frantically preparing since early morning. “All the idols leave at the same time, so that no one is left behind. We pick a time that’s closest to the mahurat and also one when the frequency of trains is low,” she said. The villagers of Kachore have been doing it for years, the villagers claimed. “This was a settlement of fishermen who travelled to the creek. However, when the railway tracks came up, it became difficult for the people to carry their boats across and they all started doing odd jobs. But several generations have celebrated all the festivals by the creek,” said local BJP leader Rajan Choudhari. “People have been crossing the tracks as it is hardly a few metres to the water this way. Otherwise, the road to the creek is very long, around 6 km. No one wants to walk that far, when there’s a shortcut,” he added. Political leaders and the local corporators have tried to find a middle ground for the residents. “We spoke to the people, who remain stubborn claiming that this is their age-old tradition. We then wrote several letters to the KDMC commissioner in 2016 and 2017. The commissioner at that time had even come to monitor the area and had promised to talk to railway authorities and fund the construction of either a foot overbridge or a subway. However, nothing took off,” said Rekha Choudhari, the local corporator. When contacted, Govind Bodke, commissioner KDMC said, “There is no proposal to build any overbridge as there is no gate there. If people are crossing the tracks, they need to be prosecuted as it’s illegal.” The residents of Kachore, however, are not worried about police action, or the danger they put their lives in. “This is something we have been doing since our childhood. To ensure our safety, we do not cross the tracks alone,” said Bhaskar Choudhari, a resident of the village. Have a comment or suggestion for Notes from the Suburbs? Write to mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com with subjectline: Notes from the Suburbs For all the latest Mumbai News, download Indian Express App

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