Festive rush grips Tirupati ahead of Vinayaka Chavithi
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Major commercial areas, including Gandhi Road, Tilak Road, TUDA and Rythu Bazar, remained crowded
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Denizens purchasing pooja material in Tirupati on Sunday
Tirupati: Festive preparations gained momentum in Tirupati on Sunday, with markets bustling with activity and youth groups racing against time to complete pandals ahead of Vinayaka Chavithi celebrations on Monday.
The city witnessed a heavy rush as residents came out in large numbers to complete their last-minute shopping.
Major roads and commercial areas, including Gandhi Road, Tilak Road, TUDA and old Corporation office surroundings and Rythu Bazar, were crowded throughout the day. The rush intensified by evening, leaving traffic police struggling to regulate vehicle movement at several locations.
Apart from the main markets, vendors put up temporary stalls in residential colonies to sell puja materials.
Several villagers who arrived in the city to sell festival items had occupied roadside spaces two days in advance. Clay idols of Lord Vinayaka were among the main purchases, though buyers said the prices were higher than last year.
Umbrellas in different designs were also in demand, with prices ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 200.
Prices of other essential items, including flowers, fruits and sugarcane, have also increased significantly ahead of the festival. In several colonies, youngsters were busy giving final touches to pandals where Ganesh idols will be installed on Monday morning.
Children have also been actively involved in the celebrations, visiting houses in their neighbourhoods over the past two weeks to collect donations for conducting the festivities.
Varasiddhi Vinayaka Nimajjana Committee convenor Samanchi Srinivas told The Hans India that around 700 registrations had been received from organisers planning to install Ganesh idols at various locations across the city. Another 50 to 75 organisers were likely to set up idols without registration, he said.
Srinivas said organisers had been given necessary instructions regarding the conduct of the celebrations. Idol immersions will be taken up on the first, third and seventh days of the festival, with around 413 immersions expected on September 16, the third day.
He said there was no water in Vinayaka Sagar for conducting the immersion. As an alternative arrangement, a tank located on the north-eastern side of the Sagar has been filled with Telugu Ga
