In a festival where Ganesh pandals compete to host the tallest idols, the biggest gatherings, and the most eco-friendly statues, how does one verify the claims?
For the last few years, independent agencies have offered services to verify and certify the claims. This year, many Ganesh pandals in Mumbai have used the help of the agencies to get certificates for breaking records in various categories.
During this year’s Ganeshotsav, at least three pandals have set different records. The ‘Girgaon cha Raja’ pandal at Nikatdwari Lane, Girgaon, received its first certificate for the tallest idol made of shaadu maati or natural clay. The pandal, which hosted its 97th Ganeshotsav, got the record certified by the World Records Book of India, a keeper of records. The 21-foot-tall idol of Ganesha seated on a throne is made from clay, bamboo, grass, and other natural materials.
A pandal in Chandivali, the ‘Boomerang Ka Raja’, received a certification as the ‘world’s tallest eco-friendly Ganpati idol’ from the International Book of Records, another India-based keeper of records, for its 26-foot-high paper idol.The agencies send a team to check the veracity of the entries. While some agencies charge a fee for the investigation, the certification services are free in most cases. “We rejected entries from three other pandals in Mumbai because our technical department could not confirm their claims. We do not issue certification unless our technical team does a thorough R&D,” said Sushma Narvekar, chief editor of World Records Book of India, who added that the trend of certifying pandals will grow. “If a pandal has a unique idea, it is their identity. It is a message to society that they are unique,” Narvekar said.
Hemant Dixit, president of the 63-years-old Khetwadi 11th Lane Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, whose 45-foot-tall ‘Mumbaicha Maharaja’ was certified as the world’s tallest, said that a team from the World Records Book of India visited the pandal to verify the statistics. “They were meticulous about recording the exact height and left out the two-foot span of the trolley to arrive at the height. They also surveyed other pandals in Khetwadi which has the city’s tallest idols,” said Dixit.
Mumbai Ganeshotsav 2024: BEST Introduces ‘Pay & Park’ Facility At Wadala Depot For Ganpati Festival
The pandal, where Lord Ganesh was depicted as Lord Kalki, the last avatar of Vishnu, has been one of the first to apply for a certificate for their idol’s dimensions, having done so for two years.Arun Kumar Sharma, president of Namo Namo Sangathan, which had put up the pandal at the Boomerang office building, said that certification from an independent agency is the best way to test claims by pandals. “Especially when there are claims that the idols are eco-friendly and made of natural materials,” said Sharma. “The information from the agencies will also help governments that are promoting environmentally safe festivals.”
