As the Dasara festival came to a close, the vehicle showrooms, especially those selling two-wheelers, did a brisk business on Friday.
Vehicle buyers made a beeline for automobile showrooms as it is considered auspicious to buy new vehicles during Dasara. There were different brands of new vehicles on the roads as the buyers took them to various temples for ‘Vahana puja’. Dealers of white goods saw huge rush as consumer brought TV sets, refrigerators and other consumer durables on the auspicious occasion.
The automobile dealers had a tough time in catering to the demands of the customers. Some automobile dealers organised live music concerts to keep their customers engaged as they awaited their turn to get possession of their vehicles.
Some of the dealers asked the buyers to come back after the Dasara rush for fitting of accessories. Some customers were seen picking up arguments with the staff for the delays in the completion of the paper works.
Water servicing dealers had to work overtime for washing of vehicles. Vehicle owners wash vehicles and tie lemon and perform puja to ward off evil spirits. Lemons and broken coconuts were found on most roads in the city on Friday.
The Dasara festival concluded with the ‘Ravana Dahan’ organised by various organisations and associations at different places. International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) celebrated the festival by burning an effigy of Raavan at Sagar Nagar.
Celebration time
Devotees captured the scene on their cellphones as the huge effigy went up in flames. ‘Ravana Dahanam’ was also performed at Simhachalam and special pujas were performed to the ‘jammi tree’. Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao participated in the programme.
Sri Durgamamba Reddy Aikyatha Seva Sangham launched the nine-day festival in 26th ward of South Constituency on Thursday. TDP leader Buccha Ramu Reddy said that the celebrations would continue until October 29.
At the Durga Puja celebrations conducted by Utkal Sanskrutika Samaj, noted singer Ashamukul Barik and his troupe left the audience spellbound on Thursday evening. Samaj president J.K. Nayak said they would bring more number of cultural troupes from Odisha to Visakhapatnam.
The AP Working Journalists’ Federation (APWJF) organised ‘Dasara Sambaralu’ at Vysakhi Jala Udhyana Vanam on Wednesday for journalists and their family members.
Children presented cultural programmes. Zilla Parishad Chairperson Lalam Bhavani participated as the chief guest.