Hubballi: With the floods proving a dampener, the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations are likely to be low key in Belagavi district and other parts of North Karnataka this year, more so as a large number of Ganesha idols were washed away in the recent deluge.
The organisers, who are having a hard time mobilising funds for the public events, have decided to scale down the celebrations and come to the rescue of the many , who have lost their properties and businesses in the disaster instead with the funds collected.
Not only are the Ganesh mandals resorting to cost-cutting measures, but several families ,which install idols in their homes, have also decided to cancel the celebrations this year.
"Every year over 85 mammoth Ganesha idols are installed in public places in Belagavi city. But this year we are celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi on a low budget as people don't have the money to contribute after the heavy rains devastated their lives. We plan to burst fewer crackers and stop using loudspeakers and donate some funds to the flood victims," said president of the Belagavi Sarvajanika Ganeshotsava Mandal, Vinayak Tigade.
Twenty-eight year old artiste, Manjunath Kambar, in Munavalli town of Savadatti taluk, has suffered a loss of Rs 8 lakh as the overflowing Malaprabha river swept away the 75 giant idols and 1,600 small idols that he had made for the festival. He is not alone as the flood has dealt a severe blow to many idol manufacturers in Chikkodi, Athani, Raibag and, Ramdurg taluks and several parts of Bagalkot district. The resulting shortage of Ganesh idols has doubled their price, prompting many organisers to cancel the celebration.
"After our idols were washed away in the floods, we are finding it difficult to meet the demand for them from the public as there are hardly 10 days left for the festival," said Manjunath.
