Humble beginnings of immersion festival

The Ganesh Chaturthi puja and immersion festival began about 35 years ago, when the Hindu Munnani’s founder Ramagopalan, led the procession with a handful of men at Triplicane in the city. Gradually, inspired by his initiative, the installation and immersion of Lord Ganesh became a movement throughout Tamil Nadu.

Over the years it grew in strength. This year the Hindu Munnami has plans to install 1.25 lakh idols of Lord Ganesh for puja and immersion. Nearly one-lakh idols were installed last year in the state. Last year. Chennai saw 5,501 idols of varying sizes and hues. This time too, the organisers have planned to display the same spirit.

 Following the passing of the GO, the Hindu Munnani members led by their state president C. Subramaniam presented a memorandum to Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Tuesday, seeking his immediate intervention to stop the implementation of the GO which aims to stop the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations and curbing the rights of Hindus. 

 Claiming that Mr. Ramagopalan launched the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations inspired by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, nationalist, social reformer and freedom fighter, the memorandum said since the last ten years, rattled by the growth of this desa bhakti and Deiva bhakti, the DMK and AIADMK governments have been attempting to pose hurdles to curb this spirit.

 The GO, the HM said, made it highly impossible to implement conditions like obtaining NOC, making all idols with clay, restricting the height of the idols to 10 feet, take idols only in heavy vehicles for immersion and limiting the number of persons traveling in such vehicles.