Maharashtra Government Reschedules Eid-e-Milad Holiday to Avoid Ganpati Immersion Clash

The Maharashtra government has announced a change in the official holiday for Eid-e-Milad in Mumbai, moving it to September 18, 2024. This decision follows a community request to shift Eid processions to avoid overlapping with the Anant Chaturdashi celebrations, which mark the culmination of the Ganesh festival.

Anant Chaturdashi, which is the final day of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, falls on September 17 this year. Normally, Eid-e-Milad would be observed on September 16 with processions conducted on September 17. However, to accommodate for the Ganesh festival schedule, the community has agreed to postpone the Eid processions to September 18.

The adjustment of the holiday schedule was confirmed in an official release, which also noted that local officials in other districts have the discretion to implement similar changes if needed. Eid-e-Milad marks the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad and is traditionally observed through various community events and processions.

The decision to delay the Eid processions was made following a peace meeting organized by Navi Mumbai Police. The meeting was attended by officials from various civic bodies, the fire department, leaders of Ganesh mandals, and clerics from the Muslim community.

Ganeshotsav commenced with Ganesh Chaturthi on September 7 and is one of the most significant festivals in Mumbai and across Maharashtra. The festivities conclude with mass idol immersions at the Arabian Sea and other locations on Anant Chaturdashi.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), over 48,000 idols of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Gauri were immersed on the sixth day of the festival. Most of these were from household celebrations, while a few were from community groups, known as ‘sarvajanik mandals’.

The Reserve Bank of India has also announced that its offices in Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban will be closed on September 18, correlating with the revised holiday schedule announced by the government. This change means that banking services will experience a long closure in some regions due to overlapping holidays and weekends.