Old City, New City: A Tale of Hyderabad’s Ganesha Immersion

Hyderabad: The grand finale of Hyderabad's Ganesha festivities painted a picture of the city's eclectic spirit, with each part with its own unique vibe. In the Old City, life paused entirely as residents threw themselves into the revelry. Commerce on the streets quieted, save for a few cigarette vendors here and there.

“Everything shuts down for a day or two,” said Mohammed Rashid, a local vendor. What stood out the most at Charminar was the active participation of the Muslim community. “This is a time for brotherhood,” Rashid said, “We help with prasad distribution and offer any assistance needed.”

In the Hitec City area, it was a culture of convenience. Residents in the newer part of the city aimed to complete their nimajjanam by the weekend. “We prefer to wrap things up without any clashes during the workdays,” noted Rajesh Gautam, a cultural committee member of Aparna Cyber Commune which immersed its idol on Saturday and took a break on Sunday.

My Home Vihanga concluded their nimajjanam on Sunday. Resident Praveen Rao said that holding the event over the weekend also ensured the attendance of most residents. The grandeur of these events at these gated communities are also notable. The laddu auction at Aparna Cyber Commune went as high as Rs.1.5 lakh, while the main laddu at My Home Vihanga was auctioned for Rs.5.3 lakh. In the same area, at Golf View, the laddu was auctioned for Rs.2.5 lakh.

Back in Old CIty, a few local vendors in the Old City expressed their frustration at their postponed Milad-un-Nabi procession.

Various Ganesh processions that wound their way through the streets of Charminar were adorned with the National Flags. One such traditional march was led by Anil Raja of Gowlipura, who continued his family’s 50-year-old Ganesha puja. Raja briefly paused at a Shiva temple, removed his slippers, and offered a small prayer before continuing his journey.

Another grand procession near Charminar was by the Hanuman Yuva Samithi of Kasaratta. Towering above all others, this idol was being led by a group of women draped in beautiful pink sarees — “Lord Ganesha’s colour,” as they explained. “Men handle the lorry, and we take care of everything else,” said Saroj Karel.

Sunita Darak, another member of the group, explained how they handled every aspect of their puja. “From organising tambola games to singing Antakshari and even planning social media reels — we make the puja what it is,” she said as they too headed towards Tank Bund.

While Old City idols made their way to Tank Bund, most of the Cyber City idols were immersed at Malkam Cheruvu where eco-friendly ponds have been constructed for immersion. Dr A. Narasimha, a resident of Gold View, noted, “It is a necessary arrangement by GHMC for the health of the lakes and its ecosystem.”

In another interesting instance at Malkam Cheruvu, two women, Amrita Alapati and Ramya B., carried their Ganesha idol back home after immersion. “The craftsmanship is too beautiful to let go,” says Amrita. “We’ve immersed the god, but now we’re welcoming the artistry back home.”

In central Hyderabad, around Rasoolpura Metro station, the Queens Plaza office building celebrated its own nimajjanam. Ritu, the security guard, chuckled as he described the daily processions. “Every floor has a different office, some with more than one, and each has its own immersion ritual every alternate day,” he says. The celebrations often stretch into the early hours, and the sounds of the festivities, especially the crackers, can be heard as far as the Begumpet police station. “It’s something, isn’t it,” Ritu adds, “though a bit noisy.”