Devotees thronged markets and streets in Mumbai and Hyderabad as Ganesh Chaturthi began, buying idols and installing them in homes and famed pandals. Hyderabad's Khairatabad hosted a 69-foot, five-faced Panchamukha Sankatahara Maha Ganapati expected to draw over 30 lakh (≈3 million) people. The 10-day festival starts on 14 September and concludes with immersion processions on Anant Chaturdashi, 25 September.
Devotees Flood Mumbai And Hyderabad As Vibrant Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations Begin
Devotees flock to Mumbai and Hyderabad as Ganesh Chaturthi begins
Devotees poured into markets and streets across Mumbai and Hyderabad as Ganesh Chaturthi kicked off, filling shops with Ganesha idols, flowers, sweets and other offerings for the 10-day festival honoring the elephant-headed god of wisdom and prosperity.
In Mumbai, shoppers carried smaller idols into homes while larger statues were mounted on decorated trucks and paraded through neighbourhoods to the beat of drums and chanting devotees. Idols were installed both in private residences and in temporary community shrines known as pandals, including some of the city's most famous sites such as Lalbaugcha Raja, GSB Seva Mandal and Andhericha Raja.
In Hyderabad, massive crowds gathered in the Khairatabad neighbourhood around a 69-foot-tall, five-faced Ganesha idol — a major draw of the festival. The 2026 statue depicts Panchamukha Sankatahara Maha Ganapati; its five faces symbolise the five classical elements: earth, water, fire, air and space. Organisers say the idol could attract more than 30 lakh (about 3 million) devotees before its immersion.
Worshippers offered prayers, danced and joined processions as drums echoed through city streets. Telangana's governor was invited to perform the first puja at the Khairatabad shrine, and preparations continued across neighbourhoods as communities finalised decorations and rituals.
The festival celebrates the birth of Ganesha, revered as the remover of obstacles. In 2026, Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the Chaturthi tithi of the bright half of the Hindu month of Bhadrapada, beginning at 7:06 am on 14 September and ending at 7:44 am on 15 September. The ten-day observances will culminate on Anant Chaturdashi — Friday, 25 September — when processions carry idols to rivers, lakes and the sea for immersion, a ritual symbolising Ganesha's return to his celestial abode.
Note: Large public celebrations draw huge crowds; authorities and organisers typically coordinate crowd management, traffic and environmental measures during immersion events.
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