Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the biggest festivals in Maharashtra and it is celebrated across the state in a grand way. People bring home clay idols of their favorite deity to worship for ten days. At the end of ten days, the deity is taken in a procession to be immersed in water with cries of “come back early next year!”. However, Covid 19 put a dampener on the celebrations this time, just like it did last year. Amidst subdued celebrations because of Covid protocols, Mumbai Police managed to lighten up the atmosphere and made people smile by choosing to dress up their deity as an IPS officer, complete with all insignia.
IPS GANPATI BAPPA
In Mumbai alone, around 150,000 Ganpati idols are bought during Ganesh Chathurthi, annually. In this list falls Mumbai Police, too. This time, though, a police officer decided to do something different and dressed up the deity as a frontline worker in a fitting tribute to all those police personnel who worked tirelessly day and night during the pandemic.
Donned in a smart khaki uniform, complete with a police cap, belt, and brown formal shoes, Mumbai Police’s Ganesha took the form of an IPS officer! In a photo shared by them on both Instagram and Twitter, they gave a new meaning to the acronym of IPS – India’s Premier Security.
THE OFFICER COMES HOME
Mumbai Police asked everyone to welcome the new IPS officer-in-charge posted at the residence of PI Rajendra Kane in Vile Parle Police Station! This loveable ‘Ganpati Bappa’ surely brought a smile to the numerous faces that came to see and pay obeisance to him.
THEME-BASED GANPATI
While traditional idols like the Lalbaugcha Raja of Mumbai are all-time favorites, nowadays many modified avatars based on different themes, with some quirky elements added, have come up, much to the delight of Mumbaikers.
With the pandemic upon us, a popular theme this time has been Ganesha fighting off the virus. Another theme is that of Ganesha in the form of frontline workers, be it as a doctor or a hygiene worker
One craftsman portrayed a tiny Ganesha with a broom in his hand, sweeping away unwanted trash. Our Police Officer Ganesha also falls in this category of frontline workers who risk their own lives to save others.
And what better way to adorn and deify Mumbai’s most popular deity than presenting him as a decorated IPS officer!
