Ganesh Visarjan in Mumbai 2026: Anant Chaturdashi Date, Timings, Routes and Sites

Ganeshotsav in Mumbai begins with the sound of dhol-tasha as Bappa arrives. Ten days later the city says goodbye with a mix of joy and tears. Anant Chaturdashi is the biggest day of the festival in Mumbai. Lakhs of devotees walk with their Ganpati to the sea, lakes and immersion ponds.

This guide covers the Ganesh Visarjan 2026 date in Mumbai, shubh muhurat timings, BMC rules, main immersion sites, procession routes and travel tips. It is meant to help your family plan a calm and respectful visarjan.

When Is Ganesh Visarjan 2026 in Mumbai?

In 2026, Ganesh Chaturthi started on Monday, 14 September, and the festival ends with the main Anant Chaturdashi visarjan on Friday, 25 September. This is the day when Mumbai's large public mandals, including the famous Lalbaug idols, take their Ganpati to the sea.

As per panchang details, the Chaturdashi tithi starts at 11:18 pm on 24 September 2026 and ends at 11:06 pm on 25 September. Since the tithi is present at sunrise on 25 September, visarjan and the Anant Chaturdashi vrat are both observed on this day.

You can check the full date and puja details on our Ganesh Chaturthi festival page.

Ganesh Visarjan 2026 Dates: All Immersion Days

Not every family keeps Bappa for all ten days. Many homes follow a family tradition of 1.5, 3, 5 or 7 days. The 2026 visarjan days fall on 15 September (1.5 days), 16 September (3rd day), 18 September (5th day), 20 September (7th day), and 25 September for the 10th/11th-day immersion on Anant Chaturdashi.

Visarjan type	Date	Day
Ganesh Sthapana	14 September 2026	Monday
Dedh din (1.5-day) visarjan	15 September 2026	Tuesday
3rd-day visarjan	16 September 2026	Wednesday
5th-day visarjan	18 September 2026	Friday
7th-day visarjan	20 September 2026	Sunday
Anant Chaturdashi visarjan	25 September 2026	Friday

If you are new to the festival, our Ganesh Chaturthi festival guide explains why families choose different durations.

Ganesh Visarjan 2026 Shubh Muhurat Timings

Visarjan is best done during an auspicious choghadiya on Anant Chaturdashi. The listed windows for 25 September 2026 are 6:28 am to 10:59 am in the morning, 12:30 pm to 2:01 pm in the afternoon, 5:02 pm to 6:32 pm in the evening, and 9:31 pm to 11:01 pm at night.

A few simple points to keep in mind:

• Timings can shift by a few minutes from city to city. Check the local timing on the DevMarg Muhurat page or today's panchang before you leave home.
• Big mandals do not follow a single muhurat. Their processions start in the morning and often go on through the night.
• For home idols, the morning window is usually the most comfortable. Roads are lighter and ponds are less crowded.

Not sure how to read a choghadiya or tithi? This panchang reading guide explains it in plain language.

Why Anant Chaturdashi Matters

Anant Chaturdashi is the 14th day of the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the Bhadrapada month. It carries two meanings at once.

First, it is the last day of Ganeshotsav. Devotees thank Lord Ganesha for staying in their homes and ask him to return next year. In Mumbai, this is when you hear the famous call "Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya" (come back soon next year).

Second, the day honours Lord Vishnu in his Ananta form. The festival is dedicated to Vishnu's limitless form, and devotees observe it with prayers, rituals and a fast. In many families, people tie an Anant sutra, a sacred thread with 14 knots, on the arm after the puja.

Visarjan also carries a simple lesson. The clay idol returns to water, just as everything in nature returns to its source. The form goes, but the bhakti stays. You can read more about Bappa's many forms and stories in our complete Lord Ganesha guide and the popular story of how Ganesha got his elephant head.

Main Ganesh Visarjan Sites in Mumbai

Mumbai has both natural immersion points and artificial ponds set up by the BMC.

Natural immersion sites

The biggest crowds gather at the sea. Girgaon Chowpatty, Juhu Beach and Dadar Chowpatty are expected to be the main immersion locations this year. Other traditional sites include:

• Girgaon Chowpatty (the largest; Lalbaug idols usually come here)
• Dadar Chowpatty near Shivaji Park
• Juhu Beach
• Versova Beach
• Marve and Aksa beaches in Malad
• Powai Lake

In past years, police have kept especially heavy deployment at Girgaon Chowpatty, Dadar, Juhu, Versova and Powai.

Artificial immersion ponds

BMC has set up ponds in every ward so families do not have to travel far. Recent BMC preparations put the count at 383 artificial ponds and 67 natural immersion locations for 2026. Figures in news reports have changed as the festival went on, so check your ward's list on the BMC website or the local ward office before visarjan day.

BMC Rules for Ganesh Visarjan 2026

This year there is one rule every family must know.

Idols up to six feet go to artificial ponds

BMC announced that, following Bombay High Court directions, Ganesh idols under six feet tall must be immersed in artificial ponds this year. The High Court's 20 August 2026 direction keeps its 24 July 2025 order in force until the public interest litigation is finally decided.

So, if your home Ganpati is under six feet, plan to go to your nearest artificial pond, not the sea.

Other rules and requests

• Nirmalya (flowers, garlands, durva) should not go into the water. BMC has placed nirmalya kalash at immersion sites to collect these offerings and has asked citizens not to use plastic bags.
• Mandals should follow sound rules and keep noise levels in check.
• Eco-friendly shadu clay idols and natural colours are encouraged.
• Free crane service has been planned to help with the immersion of larger idols.

Safety arrangements

Officials have said BMC will deploy 85 ambulances, 1,132 lifeguards, 34 cranes and motor boats at immersion sites. Lifeguards, rafts, watchtowers, lighting, drinking water, toilets and steel plates along immersion routes have also been ordered at major points.

Ganesh Visarjan Routes and Traffic in Mumbai

Anant Chaturdashi brings the heaviest traffic of the year to South and Central Mumbai. The Mumbai Traffic Police releases a fresh advisory a day or two before visarjan, so treat the points below as a planning guide and check the official 2026 advisory on the Mumbai Traffic Police social media handles.

Lalbaug and Girgaon procession area

The Lalbaugcha Raja procession usually leaves Lalbaug in the morning and reaches Girgaon Chowpatty the next morning. It passes through busy areas of Central and South Mumbai along the way. In past years, Dr Annie Besant Road at Worli Naka and NM Joshi Marg were closed while the Lalbaugcha Raja procession passed.

Earlier advisories also warned of heavy congestion near Girgaon Chowpatty, covering Girgaon, Thakurdwar, VP Road, JSS Road, SVP Road and Raja Ram Mohan Roy Road in Kalbadevi, as well as Cuffe Parade and Badhwar Park.

2026 traffic and train updates

• Heavy vehicles are restricted on the Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road from the morning of 25 September until noon the next day.
• Central Railway is running 22 special night suburban services between CSMT and Kalyan/Thane on the nights of 23-24, 24-25 and 25-26 September.
• Western Railway has changed the stopping pattern of local trains at Charni Road on 25 September to handle crowds near Girgaon Chowpatty.

Simple travel tips

• Use local trains, Metro or BEST buses instead of a private car.
• Avoid Lalbaug, Parel, Byculla, Girgaon and Kalbadevi by car unless you must go there.
• Keep a meeting point fixed with family members in case you get separated.
• Carry water, a small snack and a charged phone. Wear comfortable footwear.
• Keep children and elders close in crowded lanes and near the water.

How to Do Ganesh Visarjan at Home: Step-by-Step Vidhi

The Ganesh visarjan vidhi is simple. Families follow slightly different customs, so follow your elders or family priest where your tradition differs. For a detailed version, see our guide on Ganesh Visarjan rituals.

1. Take a bath, wear clean clothes and clean the puja space.
2. Sit before Bappa and take a sankalp for the uttarpuja (the farewell puja).
3. Offer haldi-kumkum, akshata, flowers, durva grass and a diya.
4. Offer naivedya. Modak, laddoo, fruits or whatever your family prepared.
5. Chant a Ganesh mantra such as "Om Gan Ganapataye Namah". You will find more in our Ganesh mantra collection.
6. Perform the aarti. Most Mumbai homes sing "Sukhkarta Dukhharta" and "Jai Ganesh Deva". Here is why aarti holds such meaning in Hindu worship.
7. Say a kshama prarthana, asking forgiveness for any mistake made during the ten days.
8. Gently move the idol from its place as a sign that Bappa is ready to leave.
9. Carry the idol with devotion to the pond, sea or home immersion tub, singing bhajans on the way.
10. Offer a final aarti at the site, then immerse the idol slowly. Put nirmalya in the kalash, not in the water.

If you immerse a small clay idol at home in a bucket or tub, let the clay dissolve fully. Many families then pour the water into their garden or plant pots.

Some families prefer a pandit to guide the uttarpuja, especially for the first year of sthapana. You can book a pandit or plan temple visits through DevMarg if you want help with the rituals.

Best Time to Visit Mumbai for Visarjan

For home idols, the morning muhurat on 25 September is the easiest time. For those who want to see the big mandals, evening and night are the most lively, but also the most crowded.

If you want darshan without the Chowpatty crowd, you can visit Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi a few days after the festival. Angarki Sankashti Chaturthi falls on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, a special day at Siddhivinayak. Expect long queues that day as well.

Planning more darshan in the region? See our list of temples in Mumbai, the Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati in Pune, and our guide to a weekend temple trip from Mumbai.

Conclusion

Ganesh Visarjan in Mumbai is a farewell filled with love. On 25 September 2026, the city will once again walk with Bappa to the water, singing and praying for his return.

Plan your muhurat in advance, follow the six-foot rule for artificial ponds, use public transport, and keep your family safe in the crowds. Most of all, let the visarjan be done with calm and bhakti.

To learn more about Maharashtra's deep connection with Ganpati, read our guide on Hinduism in Maharashtra, or keep Bappa close all year with the Ganesh Chalisa.

Ganpati Bappa Morya.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Ganesh Visarjan 2026 date in Mumbai?

The main Ganesh Visarjan in Mumbai is on Friday, 25 September 2026, on Anant Chaturdashi. Shorter visarjans fell on 15, 16, 18 and 20 September.

What time is Ganesh Visarjan on Anant Chaturdashi 2026?

The Chaturdashi tithi runs from 11:18 pm on 24 September to 11:06 pm on 25 September. Good visarjan windows on 25 September are 6:28 to 10:59 am, 12:30 to 2:01 pm, 5:02 to 6:32 pm and 9:31 to 11:01 pm.

Can I immerse my Ganpati idol in the sea in Mumbai this year?

If your idol is under six feet tall, no. As per the Bombay High Court's direction, BMC requires idols under six feet to be immersed in artificial ponds.

Where are the main visarjan spots in Mumbai?

Girgaon Chowpatty, Dadar Chowpatty, Juhu Beach, Versova, Marve, Aksa and Powai Lake are the main natural sites. BMC has also set up hundreds of artificial ponds across all wards.

How do I find the nearest artificial pond?

BMC publishes a ward-wise list of artificial ponds on its website and through local ward offices. Your housing society or local mandal can also tell you the nearest one.

What should I not put in the water during visarjan?

Do not put flowers, garlands, plastic, thermocol or decoration material in the water. Place nirmalya in the kalash provided at the site.

Why is Anant Chaturdashi linked to Lord Vishnu?

Anant Chaturdashi honours Lord Vishnu in his Ananta (endless) form. Many devotees keep a fast and tie a 14-knot Anant sutra on this day, alongside the Ganesh visarjan.

What comes after Ganesh Visarjan?

The day after Anant Chaturdashi is Bhadrapada Purnima, after which Pitru Paksha begins. Families remember their ancestors through shraddha and pind daan. A few weeks later comes Sharad Navratri. You can track upcoming dates on the DevMarg Hindu calendar.