Hindu, Muslims join DJ Ganpati Immersion

It's youth rocking on their way; cutting across all barrier of religion and cast. Hundreds of Hindu, Muslims and Christians today joined into a colourful parade to immerse a clay idol of Lord Ganesh off the shores of Mumbai, reasserting communal solidarity in a city rocked by religious violence in the past. The huge gathering of young, enthusiastic people shook their legs in the tunes of DJ Hussain and Asad; and they wanted to send across one message: We do things on our own way.

There were hundreds of other noisy, vibrant processions meandering through crowded streets in this city of 17 million people, but perhaps none as vivid as the one led by Asad Zaidi and Hussain Babai.

The musical parade carries a strong message of communal harmony.

Zaidi and Babai, prominent disc jockey, had also put together an ensemble of fire dancers, stilt walkers, fashion models, street urchins and celebrities who swayed to a hypnotic electronic beat from speakers stacked on a 40-foot trailer truck.

Mahalaxmi Bal Sangh, the organizer of the event, came up with this idea in 1999.The parade -- called "United We Dance" -- has grown each year, swelling to include some 5,000 people last year.

Suchitra Pillai performed the aarti to kick off the procession which started from Mahalaxmi temple and went on covering Haji Ali sea front right up to Barrister Rajni Patel Chowk (Near Samudra Mahal). There, Hindu priests will immerse a crystal-studded Ganesh idol in the Arabian Sea amid the chanting of religious hymns and the frenzied beating of drums and cymbals.

DJ Ganpati Visarjan is a unique fusion of modern culture and the traditional Visarjan parade.

While the majority of revellers are Hindu, there are hundreds of Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Parsi, Sikh and Jain participants as well, the organisers said.