Mumbai’s GSB Seva Mandal Ganpati is known for its gold, grandeur and thousands of devotees. This year, the city’s richest Ganpati mandal has made headlines for another reason — its Mahaganapati idol and the valuables associated with the celebrations have been insured for a record ₹703.27 crore for Ganeshotsav 2026.

The insurance cover is a significant jump from previous years. The mandal had secured insurance worth ₹474 crore in 2025 and ₹400 crore in 2024. The rise comes as the value of the gold and silver ornaments used to adorn the deity has climbed, with the idol set to wear more than 66 kg of gold ornaments and over 335 kg of silver, along with precious gemstones.

Many of these ornaments have been donated by devotees and sevadars over the years. The Mahaganapati is at the centre of the five-day celebrations at Shree Sukriteendra Nagar, King’s Circle, where the idol is surrounded by flowers and elaborate gold and silver embellishments. Devotees popularly know the deity as ‘Navsala Pavnara Vishwacha Raja’, or the King of the Universe who fulfils devotees’ wishes.

The GSB Seva Mandal’s Ganeshotsav has been celebrated since 1955 and will mark its 72nd edition this year from September 14 to September 18. Thousands of devotees are expected to visit the pandal every day, turning the area into a festive space that combines religious rituals, seva and the atmosphere of a traditional temple fair.

But the GSB Ganpati is not only about its spectacular ornaments. The G. S. B. Seva Mandal was established in 1951 as a charitable, non-profit trust. Its work extends through the year and includes medical assistance, educational support, blood donation drives, welfare and career guidance programmes, knowledge camps and funeral assistance for members of the community.

One of its biggest ongoing projects is a proposed 200-bed multi-speciality charitable hospital at Versave in Mira-Bhayandar, aimed at providing affordable healthcare. The mandal also runs its ‘Santushta Annadaan’ initiative, which began during the Covid pandemic and provides freshly prepared, nutritious vegetarian meals near public hospitals, orphanages and areas with economically vulnerable communities.

The mandal is also bringing some changes to this year’s celebrations. As part of its ‘Go Green’ campaign, it has introduced digital receipts instead of traditional printed receipts and will use an eco-friendly idol. The celebrations are being conducted with the help of a large volunteer force, with devotees travelling from different parts of India and abroad to seek the blessings of Mahaganapati.

The ₹703.27-crore insurance figure may be what has caught Mumbai’s attention this year, but the story of GSB Ganpati goes beyond the value of its ornaments. For more than seven decades, the mandal has combined elaborate Ganeshotsav celebrations with community service — making its Mahaganapati one of the most recognisable and closely followed Ganpati celebrations in Mumbai.