Visakhapatnam: In a vibrant display of devotion and cultural richness, Andhra Pradesh bid farewell to Lord Ganesha this week. Immersions took place on Wednesday and Thursday across the state.
Kakinada district, in particular, saw the immersion of nearly 1,200 Ganesh idols over the past two days, the celebrations continuing till Friday morning. The organisers arranged processions with play of music and dance performances.
Police and revenue teams planned and coordinated the events to ensure security under the leadership of SP Satish Kumar. Notably, Chakalipalem village drew much attention with over the processions of 30 idols, despite permission challenges.
The Nagara Ganesh Utsava Samithi successfully executed the immersion programme. Almost 2,000 idols bid farewell in various locations.
In Visakhapatnam, the country's “tallest” Ganesh idols, towering symbols of devotion and cultural splendor, were yet to be immersed. The immersion of the smaller idols, accompanied by the sacred recitation of Vedic hymns, marked a poignant moment in the ongoing Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.
The upcoming immersions are highly anticipated events. On October 8, a 117-foot idol will be immersed, followed by the 112-foot idol on October 9. During these rituals, a staggering 60,000 litres of water mixed with 1,000 litres of milk will be ritually poured on the idols.
The sacred mud used for these idols came from the Ganga river.
Adding a delightful twist to this year's celebrations was the Chocolate Ganesha, crafted from an impressive 2,500 kg of chocolate. Its immersion will be on October 2, when this unique idol will melt with milk, dissolving entirely in a memorable ritual. The organisers plan to distribute the resulting liquid chocolate milk as prasad.
The state of Andhra Pradesh resonated with the spirit of devotion and cultural unity, making this Ganesh Chaturthi a more memorable event for all.
