Thousands of Ganesha idols immersed in Telangana, concluding 11-day festival

Hyderabad, Sep 6 (PTI) Thousands of idols of Lord Ganesh in various forms and sizes were immersed in water bodies in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana on Saturday, marking the conclusion of the 11-day-long Vinayaka Chaviti festivities.

Though the process of 'nimajjanam' (immersion) began several days ago, most of the idols installed for worship were immersed today.

The sprawling Hussain Sagar lake in the city and the roads around it wore a festive look, with thousands of devotees arriving with chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya'.

More than 20,000 Ganesh idols were immersed in Hyderabad, including around 10,000 in Hussain Sagar lake itself till 8.15 PM on Saturday, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) said in a release.

Over 2.54 lakh idols have been immersed in Greater Hyderabad limits since the last few days.

The immersion of the 69-ft tall Ganesh idol of the pandal at Khairatabad, the main attraction of the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities in Hyderabad, and also the famous Balapur Ganesh in the city were completed in Hussain Sagar lake here.

The 'laddu' offered as 'prasadam' at the pandal at Balapur was auctioned for Rs 35 lakh. Last year, it fetched Rs 30.01 lakh in the traditional auction.

The auction is competitive as the 'laddu' is believed to bring good tidings to the successful bidder.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday afternoon inspected the immersion of Ganesha idols at the Hussain Sagar lake where the process was underway on a large scale.

Wearing a saffron scarf (with a Ganesha image) around his neck, Reddy wished the devotees from the temporary podium installed by the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samiti.

He chanted 'Ganpati Bappa Morya', but refused to address the gathering when the organisers handed over a mike to him.

It is for the first time a CM has visited the pandal set up by the Samiti, an office-bearer claimed.

Telangana Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, incharge for Hyderabad, held an aerial survey of the immersion routes Saturday evening accompanied by DGP Jitender, city police commissioner CV Anand and GHMC Commissioner R V Karnan and other officials.

Speaking to reporters, Prabhakar said the immersion was going on smoothly and that the process was expected to conclude by Saturday midnight.

CM Revanth Reddy was also supervising, he said.

The immersion reflects Hyderabad's 'Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb' (term used for fusion of Hindu-Muslim cultures in the country), he said.

With the coordination of all government departments and the cooperation of people, the immersion was going on a grand scale, Prabhakar said.

He noted that about two lakhs idols have been immersed since the last several days.

DGP Jitender, who reviewed the immersion from the specially set up Control Room at his office, said immersions were being carried out in Hyderabad as well as in several districts, with elaborate security measures already in place and senior officers personally monitoring the situation.

The government made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of processions on the final day of immersion.

Strong security measures have been put in place to prevent any untoward incidents. A total of 29,000 police personnel are on duty in shifts, police said.

Nearly 15,000 sanitation workers would work in three shifts (24x7) in Hyderabad to maintain cleanliness during the event, the GHMC has said.

The Ganesh 'Shobha Yatra' was underway smoothly across the city following comprehensive road repairs, clearance of cable lines and tree branches, and temporary lighting arrangements covering 56,187 points, it said.

Immersions were being carried out at 20 major lakes and 72 specially prepared artificial ponds, supported by 134 static cranes and 259 mobile cranes, ensuring a swift and safe immersion process, the GHMC said.

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations began with devotional fervour and gaiety across Telangana on August 27.

Lakhs of Lord Ganesha idols in various sizes and forms have been installed for worship in Hyderabad and all other towns and villages in the state. PTI VVK SJR GDK VVK ROH