Veteran actress Juhi Chawla on 26 September 2026 praised the safety arrangements and joyful atmosphere at Mumbai's Ganpati celebrations, noting that thousands of devotees — men and women alike — were participating in the festivities peacefully. Chawla, who attended the celebrations at the invitation of a friend, said experiencing the festival in person was far more moving than watching it on television.

What Juhi Chawla Said

Speaking at the event, Chawla described the atmosphere as respectful and spiritually uplifting. 'There is a very happy and respectful atmosphere here. So many people are going to worship Baba, with so much respect,' she said. She added that she was pleasantly surprised by how orderly and safe the gathering felt despite the sheer scale of attendance.

'Everyone is going safely, and you can see, there are so many people, thousands, lakhs of people, but everyone is safe. And everyone is going with ease, with their happiness, to worship Baba. It is a very beautiful atmosphere,' Chawla said.

Pride of Mumbai

The actress described the Ganpati festival as a source of immense civic pride for Mumbai. She credited her host, Shaina, for the invitation and reflected on how witnessing the event firsthand filled her with emotion. 'I think this is the pride of Mumbai, and thank you, Shaina, for inviting me here. Watching this on TV is one thing, but actually watching it in real life, fills the heart,' Chawla said.

She also spoke about the cultural significance of the festival for Maharashtra and Gujarat, calling it a celebration unlike anything else in the world. 'Here, we celebrate this with a lot of love, and this is very special. What you are seeing here, maybe this doesn't happen anywhere else in the world,' she noted.

A Call for Eco-Friendly Celebrations

Alongside her praise for the festivities, Chawla used the occasion to appeal for greater environmental responsibility. She specifically urged the organisers of large Ganpati pandals to take the lead in adopting eco-friendly practices, arguing that others would follow once prominent pandals set the example.

'I say to the big pandals, the big Ganpatis — please, when will you make an eco-friendly Ganpati? When you do, all the pandals will follow you. So please, first try to become eco-friendly,' she said.

Background

Juhi Chawla has been associated with Hindi cinema for over four decades and has been linked to several social and environmental causes throughout her career. Her appeal comes amid growing concern from environmental groups about the use of non-biodegradable materials in festival decorations and idols. Ganpati celebrations in Mumbai routinely draw millions of devotees over the course of the festival, making it one of the largest religious gatherings in the country. This year's edition is expected to conclude with the traditional Ganpati Visarjan procession.