It was a surge of humanity in Hyderabad as worshippers marked the end of 11-day Ganesh festival with day-long ceremonial immersions at various lakes and tanks in the city. Unmindful of the announcements by organisers and police to maintain social distancing and wear marks in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, worshippers jostled to get a close look and pray for the last time before the immersion of idols.
The nine-foot-high Khairatabad Ganesh, which was the tallest this year in the city, had the longest procession.
The procession from the Khairatabad site began at 11 a.m. and the immersion in the Hussainsagar lake was completed at 6.30 p.m. The evening immersion is a break from tradition over the past few years where the idol was among the first to be immersed by noon.
Densely packed
While the immediate vicinity of the idol was crowded, the stretch of road between the Lumbini Park and cranes 3 and 4 near NTR Park remained free.
The same could not be said about the Tank Bund stretch which was densely packed as worshippers from across the city brought idols on SUVs, cars, open top vehicles and motorised trolleys to the location.
Except for a few stretches around the Hussainsagar lake, the flow of traffic in the city was not affected through the day as a strong contingent of policemen ensured smooth conduct, putting up and removing barricades as per need.
The spirited nimmajjanam revelry that waxes and wanes from morning to night was missing this year as there were no kiosks to host the processionists.
Limiting the size of the idols, curbs on installations, and a general fear among people took away some of the festive pageantry associated with the event.
“We have seen an occasional procession unlike a stream of idols that used to be ferried every year to the lake,” said a police official stationed at Masab Tank.
Auction called off
The auction of laddoo by Balapur Ganesh Utsav Committee was called off. “We have decided to gift the laddoo to the Chief Minister as there was no auction. If the CM gives us an appointment we will gift it to him,” said K. Niranjan Reddy of Balapur committee about the 21-kg laddoo. Police said about 4,800 idols were immersed in city till midnight. Last year, it was 30,000 idols in 24 hours.