Devotees throng at the Ganesh pandal depicted as Dolphin Nose Light House during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival at Relliveedhi in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. --K. Murali Krishna.
Visakhapatnam: Heavy rains cast a pall over Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Visakhapatnam, even though a record number of pandals have been erected for this year's festivities. The unrelenting downpour compelled devotees to remain indoors on Saturday and Sunday. However, all is not lost as the festival duration is of 10 days.
Joint commissioner of police Fakeerappa, in a conversation with Deccan Chronicle, said this year 4,102 pandals were granted permission.
He said organisers were instructed to use waterproof tents, take precautions against landslides and extend queues. He said cranes were deployed to tow illegally parked vehicles.
In 2019, Visakhapatnam city police granted permission to 1,290 Ganesh mandals out of around 1,300 applications. In 2022, permission was given to 1,250 pandals. In 2018, 1,840 pandals were set up in Vizag. The Ganesh festival was severely restricted in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid-19.
The highlights of this year’s pandals include a 120-feet tall and 100-feet wide Bal Ganesh set in an Ayodhya-themed backdrop. This idol will remain in the pandal for 21 days, with immersion taking place on-site using water from sacred rivers.
A charitable trust has created a 75-feet tall statue made entirely of jaggery sourced from Rajasthan, alongside an 89-feet tall idol modelled after Sri Maha Ucchista Ganapati.
This year's tallest eco-friendly Ganesh in Visakhapatnam is crafted using bamboo, red sand, soil from river Ganges, and grass. An 18-feet chocolate Sri Ram idol also features in this pandal.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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