Prachi Jatania, Mumbai: They are 8-feet tall, 10-feet tall and can go up to 25-feet. The Ganesh festival in Mumbai just gets bigger.

With mandals vying to out do each other, idol sizes are taken a notch higher every year, but for the craftsmen, it clearly doesn't seem to be a tall order.

However, this time around, the Ganpati celebrations have been mired in controversy. Civic authorities are debating a move to restrict the height of Ganesh idols to 7 feet and cut down on pollution levels caused by the immersion of large idols.

Says BMC Deputy Leader, Yashwant Jadhav, "We try and put a limit to the size of the Ganpati idols every year."

Artistes and craftsmen, who have been catering to an increasing demand to make 12 to 15 feet tall idols, believe this height restriction is a political stunt.

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Says a Chinchpokli-based craftsman, Ramesh Rawale, "Every time, 15 days before the festival starts, these Ministers start making such statements and ask us to cut down on the size of the idols."

Most people say though that it is the height of the idol which guarantees a good turnout.

This year, the Ektaa Ganesh Mandal raised the Ganesh height to 25 feet to mark the silver jubilee celebrations.

Says Ektaa Sarvajanik Ganesh Mandal's, Sunil Zore, "Most mandals get better funds if the idols are taller."

Even though there's no official stricture about the idol sizes this year, festival enthusiasts may just have to worship their favourite deity in smaller avataars soon.