Solapur's Groundbreaking Shift: 100% DJ-Free Ganesh Immersion Procession

On September 6, 2025, the city of Solapur, Maharashtra, witnessed a historic event as it held its Ganesh immersion procession without a single DJ sound system or laser light. This marked a major shift in how festivals are celebrated in the region, moving away from the dominance of loud music and towards a more traditional, community-driven celebration.

The change was not born out of convenience but rather a tragic series of events. Earlier this year, during the Shiv Jayanti procession in February, a resident named Raju Yadgirikar was forced to sit beside a blaring sound system, leaving him permanently deaf. In August, a 27-year-old named Abhishek Birajdar collapsed and died of a heart attack while dancing to loud DJ beats. These incidents sparked outrage and prompted a group of citizens to form the 'DJ-Free Solapur Action Committee'.

The committee's efforts gained momentum as senior citizens, doctors, and ordinary citizens joined the movement. Over 42,000 signatures were collected in a single day, and on August 20, over 300 senior citizens marched to the collector's office demanding a DJ-free Ganeshotsav. Doctors also joined the cause, with 538 medical professionals marching to the police commissioner's office.

The immersion day on September 6 was the culmination of these efforts, as the civic body and police administration coordinated the main procession. Instead of blaring DJs, the streets came alive with the beats of lezim and dhol-tasha, as well as chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya'. Residents, including children and the elderly, thronged the streets, enjoying the festive atmosphere without the harmful effects of loud music.

Participants and observers described the DJ-free Ganesh immersion as a golden day in Solapur's history, with citizens expressing joy on social media and in public statements. The move to ban DJs and lasers was not just about noise but also about reclaiming culture and safeguarding public health, as doctors warned of the severe ear-related problems caused by such systems.

The success of the DJ-free Ganesh immersion has inspired calls for the tradition to continue during other festivals, such as Navratri, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti, and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti. The fight, however, is not over, as the organizers warn that the battle against DJs is like fighting cancer, and they need at least 12 months of continuous effort to eradicate it completely.