21 forms of Ganesha in clay at a Mumbai Ganesh Pandal in 2023

Sculptor Gunesh Gajanan Adval is creating 21 different forms of Ganesha in clay for the 2015 Ganesh Pandal of Vakratunda Mitra Mandal at Sangita wadi in Dombivli East in Mumbai. This Ganesh Chaturthi, Vakratunda Mitra Mandal is celebrating their 21st year as Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal. All the 21 forms of Ganesha will be based on the stories of Ganesh and all the idols will from the imagination of the artist.

Mid-day reports
Adval has already completed four of the 21 idols. What's planned for the rest includes, Ganpati resting on a flower, sitting beside a mouse, sitting on the moon, dancing, writing the Mahabharata, battling demons with a mace, fighting with demons with a trishul, seated in a pious position, doing yoga, seated on a swing, riding a mouse, and with a lion, among others. Adval said, "Ten idols will depict Ganesha in his childhood, while another 11 will show him as an adult."
Thirty five year-old Adval, who moved to Mumbai from Kohlapur in 2008, is environment conscious too. "I make idols only out of mud. Plaster of Paris does not dissolve in water, and is a problem, so I avoid it."

The Mumbai Ganesh Pandal is an annual festival celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesh, one of the most revered deities in the Hindu religion. The festival typically takes place in late August or early September and lasts for 10 days, with large pandals (decorated tents or temporary structures) erected across the city to house elaborately crafted idols of Lord Ganesh. 

 The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor, with devotees performing aarti (rituals involving the offering of light) and participating in processions, dances, and feasts. The immersion of the idols in water bodies, such as the Arabian Sea, marks the end of the festival. 

 The Mumbai Ganesh Pandal is a significant cultural event in India, and it attracts millions of visitors each year. The festival is also an opportunity for artisans and craftsmen to showcase their skills and creativity, with the pandals and idols becoming more elaborate and intricate with each passing year.