MUMBAI: Fistfuls of gulal were thrown in the air and people danced in the streets of Mumbai as the 10 day festival of Ganeshotsav came to an end Sunday. Thousands of Ganpati mandals led their idols to the city's seafront for immersion at Anant Chaturdashi The Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti, the coordinating body of Ganesh mandals, estimates that there are over 1.5 lakh public pandals in Mumbai. Apart from that there are lakhs of houseshold idols, but these are usually immersed by the seventh day. Visarjan only takes place on odd numbered festival days.In the morning, a grand spectacle began to unfold in the streets of Lalbaug which is home to the three big moortis of Lalbaugcha Raja, Ganesh Gully and Tejukaya mandals. It is here that the flower shower (pushpavrushti) mandals of two housing societies sprinkle flower petals upon Ganpatis passing below.Shroff building has crafted a model of Shivaji Maharaj and his nentor Samarth Ramdas to shower flowers while neighbouring Sadanand building has fashioned a model of Vishnu's Varaha avatar.The Mumbaicha Raja of Ganesh Gully is always the first to leave its pandal around 8.30am. The Lalbaugcha Raja follows at 10.30am. This afternoon there was tremendous excitement as the Lalbaugcha Raja overtook Ganesh Gully for a brief while, as if they were in a race. Both idols traverse the length of South Mumbai for hours together before they reach the Chowpatty seafront for visarjan. In fact Lalbaugcha Raja is the last to be immersed, at 8.30am the following morning. Lakhs of people who cannot brave the long lines for darshan, or are simply onlookers, throng the streets for a final glimpse.The Chinchpokli cha Raja which is headed into its centenary celebration next year was also accompanied by a large contingent of worshippers. In Chandanwadi, Parel, Girgaum and Khetwadi, the towering 20-30 ft tall Rajas and Maharajas of various gullies made a beautiful picture in their creative avatars. One had a tall Hanuman rising protectively behind him, another sat on a peacock throne, yet another resembled the Ram avatar of Vishnu.The suburbs have their share of glamour as well. The 25 ft tall idol of Magathane, Borivli, the beauteous Ganesh of Jiten Society Andheri, and the Vile Parlecha Peshwa made entirely of paper pulp are enormous attractions this day. Girgaum Chowpatty is the main immersion spot for large idols in South Mumbai. A sea of policemen, volunteers and traffic wardens took their position along the beach and on watchtowers. Shivaji Park , Juhu, Versova, Bhandup, Powai also host a large number of idols.This is the first year that the high court has banned the use of DJs in festive processions. Yet the decibel level remained extremely high as the beats of traditional dhol tashas and drums rent the air. At some venues, mandals did instal loudspeakers atop trucks and carry on nevertheless.Traffic was diverted along many routes while some roads were partially cordoned off to mark separate lanes for processions. The fervour peaks on the evening of Anant Chaturdashi as the processions converge on arterial roads.

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