tradition of mass procession of Ganapati Bappa immersion at Rai village in Mira Bhayandar; Rai village in Mira Bhayander has preserved the tradition of procession together
In Bhayandar West, Rai is an old village inhabited by the native Bhumiputra Agri-Koli community. Ganesh immersion is done every year by the villagers in the lake near the Ram temple in this village. Before that, a mass immersion procession of Ganarayas installed in the houses of the village takes place. For this, a time in the evening is fixed by the villagers. A similar procession takes place during the immersion of Ganpati for one and a half days, five days and eleven days. First the procession starts from the villagers living at one end of the village. Then one family with all its members joins the procession. The procession moves through the streets of the village. At this time, the idol is not carried in a handcart or any other vehicle, but all the villagers participate in the procession with Ganesha on their heads. At the front is the Bhajani Mandal, while at the back is the procession of Ganaraya.
In the immersion procession, all the villagers, i.e. more than 70 to 80, participate in the Ganesha procession. On reaching the immersion site, the last aarti of Ganaraya is also performed collectively. After that step by step all the Ganesha idols are immersed. On this occasion the whole village comes together. Villagers said that there is a tradition of more than hundred years of mass immersion in this manner. This tradition is still being preserved in this village. A similar picture was seen during the immersion that took place on Sunday. In Rai, the only village in Mira-Bhainder, this tradition of fire immersion is being preserved. Therefore, there is no stress on the police during Ganesh immersion. The youth of the village are also proud of this unity and insist that they will carry this tradition forward.
