Ganesh Mahotsav can be celebrated from 9th to 19th September following the Covid guidelines in Vadodara

Vadodara City Police Commissioner Dr. Shamsher Singh has issued an order under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Act-1973 and GP Act-37 (4) in view of Ganesh Mahotsav which will be celebrated from 9th to 19th September 2021. A maximum of 4 foot Ganesh idol can be installed in a public Ganesh Mahotsav while a maximum of 2 feet Ganesh idol can be installed in a house. Further to keep the pandal, mandap as small as possible in the public Ganesh Mahotsav and arranging darshan by making round circles at appropriate distances for the purpose of maintaining social distance in the pandal-mandap by the organizers.

The order further states that only Pooja, Aarti and Prasad can be distributed at public Ganesh Utsav venues and not to hold any other religious, cultural programme. The statues will have to be immersed in a nearby artificial lake made by the local authority with no crowd gatherings at the site. Regarding the festival of Ganesh Mahotsav, the night curfew will be enforced from 12 am during 9 to 19 September 2021. While in Ganesh Pandal-Mandap, Darshan can be continued till 11 pm only.

Importantly, other restrictions imposed from July 30, 2021 will remain in force from August 28 to September 15, 2021 till 6 am in the entire area under the Commissioner of Police. Violation of the order will be punishable under Section 188 of the Indian Criminal Act-1860 and The Epidemic Disease Act-1897 as per the provisions of The Gujarat Epidemic Disease Covid-19 Regulation-2020 and Section-135 of the GP Act.