Ganesh Visarjan: How to immerse your Ganesh idols at home

Pune: The arrival of Lord Ganesha makes devotees bring joy but his visarjan after the puja leaves them sad and teary-eyed. Disciples do the visarjan on the day they conclude their puja. People do it after one-and-a-half days, three days, five days, seven days or eleven days.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) this year has decided to distribute ammonium bicarbonate free of cost to Punekars, to help dissolve the idols of Ganesha in a bucket of water within 48 hours. One can get the bicarbonate at the nearby ward offices of the PMC.

The administration has permitted the purchase of 150 metric tonnes of ammonium bicarbonate for visarjan. On the backdrop of the prohibition on immersion tanks at public places for Ganesh idols visarjan on the one-and-a-half days, fifth, seventh and 10th day of the domestic Ganesh Festival, the ammonium bicarbonate solution will be an alternative for people to do the idol immersion at their homes.

PROCESS FOR IMMERSION OF GANESH IDOLS AT HOME

• In a bucket full of water, pour the ammonium bicarbonate (packet of 2 kgs) and let it dissolve in the water.
• Immerse the idols inside a bucket. Stir the water after regular interval of two-three hours. 
• After 48 hours, the calcium carbonate settles beneath. A milky white solution will be formed at the top.
• Once the solution of ammonium sulphate is generated, pour enough water and use this water for gardening.

Also, the civic body has decided to provide mobile tanks at the doorsteps of the people for the immersion of Ganesh idols. The initiative is being launched to avoid over-crowding at the immersion tanks as the immersion at the river this year is banned in the wake of COVID-19 spread.