Overview

• The ban, effective May 11, prohibits coconuts, garlands, and prasad at Siddhivinayak Temple due to risks of concealed explosives and poison.
• The decision follows advisories from Mumbai police and the Maharashtra government amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions.
• Devotees can bring alternative offerings such as durva grass, hibiscus flowers, and small floral bundles during the ban period.
• Vendors outside the temple have been given a two-day grace period to sell existing stocks before the restrictions take effect.
• The temple trust plans to recruit 20 armed retired personnel to strengthen on-site security, with no fixed end date for the ban.