Ganpati Idols Immersion Only in Artificial Tanks: Pragmatic or not?

Out of the 25 to 30 events that Diana Agarwal is organising, eight will have the Ganesha idols less than 6 feet in size. Out of these eight events, she is creating an artificial pond of 4 feet by 4 feet for a Ganpati sized 2 feet for only one family based in Powai. Rest? “No one wants to immerse the idols in the artificial ponds going against their ‘traditions’ that they have been practising for years,” Agarwal from Shrih Festivals says. 

Almost a month before the biggest festival of Ganpati arrives in Mumbai, the Bombay High Court on July 24 made it mandatory for all Ganesh idols — both clay or Plaster of Paris (PoP) measuring up to six feet in height to be immersed in artificial ponds provided by municipal corporations and local bodies across Maharashtra.

However, the order also mentions that the guidelines shall apply to all festivals wherein the practice of immersion of idols is followed and which are to be celebrated until March 2026.

A matter of belief and traditions

Even after knowing about the order, Agarwal is gearing up for the events, with the families and even with the larger pandals like that of Lower Parel’s (an exact name of the pandal she does not wish to take) where all of it is going to be immersed in the sea. While for the idols more than 6 feet, it is still not against the order, the ones below six feet will be a direct move against it. 

“People tell me that it feels ‘authentic’ to go to the sea or natural water bodies, perform arti and hence, want to continue that,” Agarwal, whose company is organising such events for 28 years, says.

Belonging to the Marathi community, Dr. Abhishek Satam, a biologist from the Mumbai zoo, says that it is a huge deal to adopt such a change. “If something is being practised for so many years, it will always be strong with beliefs."

Stating that at least 40% of the immersions in Mumbai have started using artificial tanks, he affirms, “this needs to increase”. 

Giresh Vasudev Kulkarni, the founder of Temple Connect and ITCX- International Temples Convention and EXPO, says, "Belief systems are deep-rooted for many devotees, and flowing water completes the spiritual cycle. That emotional gap cannot be closed with enforcement alone; it needs empathetic education and symbolic rituals that preserve the sanctity."

But is it possible? “It is, but only when convenience meets cultural sensitivity.”

Why this decision?

The question of whether or not the PoP idols should be banned from natural water bodies has been under judicial scrutiny since 2003. And, while the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) banned the Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols, Ganesha idol makers and artisans challenged the CPCB ban.

The collective of such artisans cited the livelihood reasons and the impact on the traditional practices, taking a balanced view of which the court allowed the continued manufacture and sale of PoP idols but barred their immersion in natural water bodies without specific court permission.

“The idols carry harmful substances, chemicals, and paints that directly impact the marine life and water after immersion,” Dr. Satam says on both PoP and eco-friendly idols that might use any harmful substances.

Hands are tied for both state and private brands

The court had directed the state government to ensure its idol immersion policy was implemented “in letter and spirit” and had asked all civic bodies in Maharashtra to make appropriate arrangements to implement the rule.

While the arrangements have been given to the local bodies, BMC has already stated that 85,306 Ganesh idols measuring less than 5 feet were immersed in artificial ponds across Mumbai last year and with the new directive, which extends the rule to all idols up to six feet, the numbers would go to approximately 1,95,306—an increase of over 110,000.

“Logistics-wise, urban centres like Mumbai have made progress, but scale and quality still vary. Many families adopt artificial pond immersion willingly, especially when it’s accessible and well-managed,” Mr. Kulkarni says.

The municipal corporation had mentioned to the court that arranging for the immersion of larger idols in artificial ponds had presented significant logistical challenges in the past, and the new policy would require substantial infrastructural and administrative planning.

However, it is not just the state bodies but also private companies that are approached when these festivals are organised in houses — which mostly have smaller idols. Why event organisers like Srih festivals also do not force more is because creating artificial tanks “pinches the pockets”. “Within the limited budget, the maximum goes to the decor, and we are also not left with a lot to create facilities for artificial lakes,” she says.

But are artificial tanks a legitimate solution?

However, relying only on the existence of the artificial tanks might just be scratching the surface of solutions. Only last year, there were a few reports that highlighted that the water of the artificial tanks was released to the sea, defying their ultimate purpose. Even Dr. Satam, talking to us, stated, “There was a similar incident in Thane last year where the water was released into the sea. Such actions lose the purpose of putting it in artificial ponds.”

“Even an eco-friendly idol takes a good amount of time to dissolve in water. It might be a show-game for the media because one does not know how the water is being processed,” he further says, adding, “water has to be recycled with filtration plants before (if) being released into natural water bodies.”

Talking about tackling the problems, he further states that the laws must be stricter. “If you remember, even the big pandals had followed the government’s order during the COVID-19 lockdown, so these orders and directives need to be strictly further communicated better to the people on all levels.”

On the other hand, Dr. Satam cites the example of artists like Vishal Shinde and emphasises on citizens' intentions and initiatives of artists to come together to deal with the issues.

Vishal Shinde makes shadu idols and asks the families to give them the mitti of the idol so that he can make their next year’s idols with the same mitti. “More such practices can be adopted,” he says.

As per Kulkarni, even brands involved with organising events need to “create better experiences and simplify logistics. “They need to ensure ponds have proper decor, rituals, and volunteer support so the spiritual essence isn’t lost. It is important to offer assisted transport, scheduled immersions, and crowd management so devotees feel cared for,” he says.

“Brands will be part of a cultural shift where tradition and environment go hand-in-hand, more than just seen as helpers,” he adds.