Hyderabad wears festive look as residents bid farewell to Lord Ganesha

Around 50,000 idols immersed on the day while 5K were already submerged on Saturday, say officials
Hyderabad wears festive look as residents bid farewell to Lord Ganesha

HYDERABAD/ WARANGAL/NIZAMABAD: The city wore a festive look on Sunday as hundreds of idols of various shapes and sizes, trailed by hundreds of rejoicing citizens, were brought to Hussainsagar and about two dozen other water bodies for immersion. Over 5,000 idols had been immersed at different points of Hussainsagar till late in the night.

Intermittent rains slowed down the immersions but the joie de vivre continued as mandap organisers moved forward with their vehicles relentlessly for immersions. From a cycle to a long truck, devotees used every possible mode of transport to transport the idols. More than 125 static cranes were installed at the lakes, including Hussainsagar, to lower the idols into the water bodies. Hundreds of devotees, irrespective or their age, wore saffron scarves and marched towards lakes while chanting ‘Ganapati Bappa Moriya, Ab Ke Baras Jaldi Aa.’

Thousands of idols in myriad forms were transported in a centralised procession in decorated trucks from Balapur in Old City to Hussainsagar. According to the GHMC and the police, about 50,000 idols will be immersed in about two dozen identified water bodies in Hyderabad and surrounding areas, but a majority of them would be immersed in Hussainsagar.

The main centralised procession began from Balapur and was joined by other processions as it meandered past Uppuguda, Lal Darwaza, Shalibanda, Charminar, Patherghatti, Afzalgung, MJ Market, Abids, Basheerbagh and on towards Hussainsagar. The Balapur idol marks the tail-end of the main procession. People in large numbers lined up along the procession routes and also gathered at Tank Bund, Peoples Plaza and NTR Marg Road to witness the immersions. Saffron flags and bandanas, pulsating drum beats and trucks carrying idols swarmed the main roads. Prasadam stalls were opened along many procession routes at Shalibanda, Begum Bazaar, Afzalgunj, Gulzar Houz, Abids, Basheerbagh and other areas. Arches and pandals were set up at various places to welcome the processions and the devotees.

In Warangal, the police made elaborate arrangements for the immersion of 3,375 Ganesh idols. The municipal and police authorities identified seven water bodies for the immersion. Over 1200 police personnel and employees of the GWMC, Roads and Buildings, Health and other departments were deployed to ensure smooth flow of Ganesh immersion processions across the tri-cities of Warangal-Hanamkonda-Kazipet.

In Nizamabad district, officials made arrangements for the immersions of 5,000 idols. The smaller idols were immersed in Vinayaka Bavi (Vinayak Nagar) while the big iols were immersed in Godavari near Basara bridge.

Immersion peaceful across State: DGP

Ganesh nimajjanam (immersion) was peaceful across the State and also in Hyderabad, said Telangana DGP M Mahender Reddy on Sunday. For the first time, the immersion process was being monitored completely with use of technology, he said. Even other departments were monitoring the processions to ensure they go off smoothly. The planning for Sunday’s immersion began more than a month ago, where field officers held several meetings with other departments, stakeholders and the public, he added. Later during the day, DGP Reddy and Hyderabad City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar accompanied Home Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali and Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav for an aerial review of the immersion process in GHMC limits

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