Overview

• Millions got the first look at Mumbai’s iconic Lalbaugcha Raja on August 24, signaling the final countdown to the festival.
• Mumbai Traffic Police announced diversions, no‑parking zones, and heavy‑vehicle restrictions for immersion days, with strict limits on crowds and sound systems on older flyovers.
• Maharashtra designated Ganeshotsav a state festival, launched a portal for events and competitions, and set grants for 1,800 bhajani mandals, even as the citywide mandals’ body sought more consultation and funding.
• Seven leading Pune mandals are again taking celebrations to the Kashmir Valley from August 27, with five days of events planned in Srinagar, Anantnag, and Kulgam.
• Eco‑friendly practices feature prominently, including Navi Mumbai’s flower‑and‑paper idol and wider shifts toward clay images and in‑pandal immersions.