Visakhapatnam Ganesh Chaturthi Sees Record Eco-Friendly, Themed Idols

Visakhapatnam: The coastal city of Visakhapatnam is buzzing with excitement with the annual Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations peaking. While towering idols of Lord Ganesha have traditionally garnered the most attention, this year, a plethora of eco-friendly and themed Ganesh idols have gained prominence.

One such innovative idol has been crafted from pots at Pedajalaripeta, depicting a potter at work. Another is inspired by Visakhapatnam's iconic landmarks, with a lighthouse-themed Ganesha placed in a dolphin house. "Say No to Drugs" theme has caught the attention of many. A Krishna-inspired Ganesha at Prakashraopeta and a guitar-themed idol at Pedajalaripeta showcase the diversity of artistic expressions.

Political figures have also been a part of this year's Ganesha festivities. Supporters of the Jana Sena Party have created an idol representing their leader Pawan Kalyan thanking the public for the party's recent electoral victories. Other idols have portrayed prominent political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

However, not all themes have received approval. One Ganesha idol, modelled after characters from the popular film Pushpa, sparked controversy in Pedajalaripeta. Local residents deemed the portrayal disrespectful, leading to demands for its immediate immersion.

A group of youth who set up the idol told Deccan Chronicle that they had done so out of admiration for the film’s characters. But following a wave of criticism and police intervention, they had to immerse the idol earlier than planned.

As Ganesh festivities have entered the fifth day, beaches are busy with devotees immersing their idols. Traffic arrangements have been put in place to ensure that the immersion of various idols is smooth and organised.

In all, the city has a record-breaking 4,102 pandals, compared to 1,290 in 2019.