Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam commenced its Ganesha festival celebrations with the immersion of its tallest idols, starting on Saturday and set to conclude on Monday. The festivities are marked by the ceremonial immersion of three monumental idols, each symbolising devotion and cultural heritage.
The first idol to be immersed was the Jaggery Vinayaka, standing at an impressive 75 feet and made from 18 tons of jaggery. This idol had been the centre of worship for 21 days. Initially, organisers planned to distribute the jaggery to devotees; however, food safety officials raised concerns about potential food poisoning risks. Consequently, the jaggery will be immersed in a river near Anakapalli instead. Notably, the laddo offered to the Jaggery Vinayaka was auctioned off for a staggering Rs.14,30,000.
Following the Jaggery Vinayaka, the Uchista Ganapati idol is scheduled for immersion on Sunday. This ritual will involve spraying water and milk over the idol as part of the ceremonial farewell. The final immersion will take place on Monday with the Ayodhya-themed Ganesha, concluding a series of events that have captivated local devotees and visitors alike.
