With just days left for Ganeshotsav, Mumbai's second-oldest public Ganpati, Chinchpokli Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal celebrated the arrival ceremony called Aagman Sohla of ‘Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani on Saturday across the Lalbaug–Parel–Girangaon belt.
Marking its 107th year, the pandal's design is inspired by the grandeur of South Indian temple architecture. Thousands of devotees, accompanied by dhol-tasha beats and chants of ‘Chinchpokli Chintamani Cha Vijay Aso', gathered along the streets of Mumbai's former textile heartland to welcome Bappa this year.
The Chintamani idol is inspired by Lord Venkateshwara Balaji of Tirumala Tirupati and is adorned with traditional sacred motifs, including the Garuda, Keertimukh, Shankha, Chakra and a camphor Tilak.
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The pandal replicates the architecture of the Sri Venkateswara Temple (Swarnagiri) in Hyderabad and Bhuvanagiri, including gopurams, deepastambhas, and sculpted yali or vyala guardian figures, according to Rajendra Dicholkar, President of the Chinchpokli Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal.
"We are confident that this year's artistic creations, conceptualised with great creativity and brought to life with the help of talented artists, skilled craftsmen, and modern technology, will be a special attraction and a source of joy for all the devotees who come to seek the blessings of Chinchpokli Cha Chintamani," he added.
The Mandal was founded in 1920 in Mumbai's historic textile hub, and continues to highlight the city's cultural heritage, with its annual Aagman Sohla drawing lakhs of devotees from across the country.
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