Mumbai, July 11: Maharashtra Home Department has issued a circular making it mandatory for all Ganesh mandals in the state to take prior permission from the concerned municipality or local authority, for Ganeshotsav celebrations this year. The circular also said that the height of the idols should be restricted to four feet at the community pandals, while idols at home must be limited to 2 feet. When is Ganesh Chaturthi in 2020? Know The Beginning Date of The 10-Day Festival of Ganeshotsav In Maharashtra This Year.

The Maharashtra government has also prohibited more than ten people inside any Ganesh pandal at a time, banning all processions. Ganesh Utsav 2020 will start on August 22 and will last for 11 days ending with the immersion of Lord Ganesh's idols. Lalbaughcha Raja Cancels Ganeshotsav 2020 Celebrations: Here's How Chinchpokalicha Chintamani, Ganesh Gallicha Raja and Others Plan to Ring in Ganesh Chaturthi Festival in Mumbai Amid Coronavirus Pandemic in India.

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Earlier, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray appealed mandals to keep Ganeshotsav 2020 a low key affair because of COVID-19 pandemic. “Due to the increasing cases of Covid-19, we have to celebrate the Ganesh festival in a simple manner by following all social-distancing measures. Devotion is more important than the height of the idol. So, the height of the idol should be up to 4 feet,” Thackeray had said in a statement issued by his office.

This year, the Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh Mandal, one of the most famous Ganpati idol, decided to cancel Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations due to COVID-19. The mandal had decided to organise blood and plasma donation camps. It will also provide financial aid to the families of police personnel who died due to coronavirus.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 11, 2020 06:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).