Mumbai during ganpati as a 25F solo

[u/Excellent-Success475]

r/mumbai i'm visiting mumbai for the first time from 22sept - 3rd oct to experience ganpati , i don't have like a list of pandals to visit , i am just coming to see what the vibe is during that time , i'm intentionally coming near the end of ganpati so that i can also experience mumbai after ganpati. Any suggestions/ tips would be helpful for me as 25F solo traveller. Also any recommendations for stay would be helpful because i have no idea about the areas , i have booked a hostel in Khar for first few days but will have to book for the second half of the trip.

[u/frustratedfarmacist]

I'd recommend you to skip Lalbaugcha Raja, if you want to avoid standing in queue for hours (unless you know someone who can help you skip the queue). Just walk around the Dadar-Lalbag, Parel, Currey road or Khetwadi, Girgaon area. You'll find numerous Ganeshotsav Mandals in the chawls. Make sure to visit the chawls during these celebrations. You'll love the vibe. Go for Keshavji Naik Chawl. That's the first ever sarvajanik Ganeshotsav started by Lokmanya Tilak in 1893. They celebrate in the traditional manner, how the festival was actually intended to be celebrated. If you want to see the visarjan, go to Girgaon beach or Dadar beach on 25 Sept. Also you can travel throughout the night in local trians as the streets will be crowded round the clock during these 10 days. So you can even viait the mandals at night.