Archive · 13 Sep 2026
Mumbai Ganeshotsav Pandals Put Animal Welfare At Center
Some Ganeshotsav celebrations in Mumbai will make room for animals.
At one pandal, stray animals will not be chased away and can rest inside.
People can also bring their pets for a special prayer ceremony.
The pandal will show Kaalbhairav with a black dog.
Another group will feed street dogs twice every day until the festival ends.
It will also vaccinate dogs against rabies and give about 1,500 dogs bright collars.
Pets can receive tiny identification microchips at a special camp.
The organisers want people to care for animals and remember that animals share the city with them.
Colaba’s Mumbaicha Krupalu pandal will welcome pets and allow stray animals to rest during its 11-day festival.
The Colaba mandal will feature Kaalbhairav with a black dog and hold a special maha-aarti for pets and owners.
Kandivalicha Adhipati will feed street dogs twice daily until visarjan and conduct a rabies vaccination programme.
Around 1,500 street dogs will receive radium collars through a partnership with JeevOne Welfare Foundation.
The campaign will address animal cruelty, illegal wildlife trade, pollution, habitat loss, water scarcity and pet identification.
- Who
- Mumbai Ganeshotsav mandals, pet owners, stray animals and JeevOne Welfare Foundation are involved.
- What
- Several pandals will welcome pets and strays while organising feeding, vaccination, collaring, microchipping and awareness activities.
- When
- During this year’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations; the Colaba programme will run for 11 days, while dog feeding continues until visarjan.
- Where
- At pandals in Mumbai, including Mumbaicha Krupalu in Transit Camp, Cuffe Parade, and Kandivalicha Adhipati in Kandivali.
- Why
- To promote animal welfare, coexistence and awareness of threats and laws concerning animals.
- Festival
- Ganesh Chaturthi, also called Ganeshotsav
- Colaba pandal
- Colaba Sankraman Shibir Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal’s Mumbaicha Krupalu
- Colaba theme
- Kaalbhairav with a faithful black dog
- Stray-animal support
- Strays will be fed, allowed to rest inside the Colaba pandal and welcomed for maha-aarti
- Kandivali measures
- Twice-daily feeding, rabies vaccination and a Maha-paw-aarti
- Radium collars
- Around 1,500 street dogs are planned to receive collars
- Pet identification
- JeevOne Welfare Foundation will hold a microchip implant camp for pets
- Awareness topics
- Animal cruelty, illegal wildlife trade, plastic pollution, habitat loss and water scarcity
