The grand procession taken out for immersion of Ganesha idol installed by Hindu Sanghatana Mahamandal in the city on Sunday witnessed a huge turnout.
The procession commenced at 10 a.m. after Mallikarjuna Murugharajendra Swami, seer of Bekkinakal Mutt, offered puja to the idol of Ganesha installed by the mahamandal on the premises of Kote Bheemeshwara temple.
The procession passed through Ramanna Shreshty Park, Gandhi Bazaar, Shivappa Nayaka Circle, Amir Ahmed Circle, Nehru Road, Durgigudi, Kuvempu Road, Shivamurthy Circle and Mahaveer Circle. The devotees had drawn colourful rangolis on the streets in Durgigudi to welcome the procession. Shivappa Nayaka Circle and Amir Ahmed Circle from where the procession passed were decorated with flowers and buntings. Youth wearing saffron shawls and bands and dancing to the ear-splitting beats of dollu folk instruments led the procession.
Food and lemon juice were served to the devotees who had participated in the procession by the organisations of autorickshaw drivers at Durgigudi and Jail Circle. Huge garlands were offered to the deity by the functionaries of youth associations from Vinobha Nagar at Jail Circle and by the residents of Bommanakatte and Navile localities at Shivamurthy Circle.
In wake of the incident of group clash that was reported at Gandhi Bazaar on September 2, security was tightened in the city on Sunday to maintain peace and order during the procession.
Abhinav Khare, SP, supervised the security arrangements. The idol was immersed in Tunga river near Bheemanamadu in the evening.