Hyderabad: City soaks in Ganesh Chaturthi festivities

♦ Police made security arrangements for the festival, especially in Old City

♦ Over 15,000 policemen and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in Hyderabad

♦ The festival will conclude with a mammoth procession on September 28

Hyderabad: A festive spirit enveloped Hyderabad as 10-day Ganesh Chaturthi began with religious fervour on Monday, with Lord Ganesh idols, the god of prosperity and wisdom being installed in homes, pandals, shops, colonies, markets, and other public places. Amid security, devotees started performing pujas and holding special religious rituals during the auspicious days.

Hyderabad is one of the cities that witnesses a fervent passion for this festival. The city becomes a perfect spot for various colourful Ganesh pandals. It houses some of the biggest, most sustainable, and unique statues. The festivities began amid tight security in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana as thousands of idols were installed at specially decorated pandals or makeshift platforms.

On the first day, chants of ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya’ and traditional band-baja accompanied the processions which began in the morning. Thousands of worshippers bring the Ganesh idol home and perform a ritual after it is installed. The markets were abuzz with activity as people bought idols, flowers, leaves, fruits, and other pooja items. Several trucks were seen carrying giant idols from Dhoolpet, in the Old City of Hyderabad to different areas. Police imposed traffic restrictions in the area to facilitate the smooth transportation of idols.

Keeping up with its creative streak, various moldings of idols were seen across the city. The sheer creativity and thorough attention to detail exhibited by the artisans have left the devotees spellbound. The city’s artistic talents have breathed life into the divine forms through their craftsmanship.

Devotees in large numbers thronged to the Khairtabad Bada Ganesh. Khairtabad Ganesh, the place is famous for making the largest, most expensive, and most glorious Ganesha idol across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. This year, the statue stands at a massive height of 63 ft long.

On Monday, Telangana Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan performed pooja to the Khairtabad Bada Ganesh. A large number of devotees including VIPs made a beeline for worship at the over 63-feet-long idol. The governor said that she prayed for the happiness and prosperity of people in Telangana.

Another famous idol, Balapur Ganesh, famed for its unique tradition of auctioning the idol after the festivities, continues to captivate the imagination of all. The Balapur Ganesh pandal is the oldest in Hyderabad and leads the Vinayaka procession. It’s famous for its laddu auction that started in 1994 and continues till date. The auction will be held with much fanfare with the participation of prominent figures like celebrities, politicians, industrialists to common folk to get the laddu that is said to bring goodwill and prosperity. Meanwhile, the Ganesh pandals in Begum Bazaar continue to captivate with their lavish grandeur. Police have made massive security arrangements for the festival, especially in the communally sensitive areas in Old City. Over 15,000 policemen and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in Hyderabad.

The festival will conclude with a mammoth procession on September 28 when thousands of idols will be immersed in Hussain Sagar Lake in the heart of the city.