Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations begin in city with great fanfare

Prayagraj: The ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations began in the city on Wednesday with several puja samitis and households welcoming the deity with great fanfare.
This is after a gap of two years due to Covid-related disruptions that the festival is being celebrated with much grandeur. Most of the devotees in Prayagraj would be celebrating the festival for four days before immersing the idols in a makeshift pond in Jhunsi area on the city outskirts.
Amid recitation of mantras and chanting of shlokas, the ceremony of ‘pran-prathistha’ of Lord Ganesha idols was conducted at different puja pandals in the city. Thereafter rituals were performed both in the morning and evening at different places and households.
“As I was suffering with fever, I was reluctant to bring Ganesha but seems like it was the almighty’s blessing that my fever subsided and by noon we brought the deity at our home and ‘he’ will remain with us for the next four days,” said Dr Smita Dikshit, a resident of Telierganj. Likewise, idols were placed at puja pandals in areas like Maharashtra Lok Sevak Mandal of Alopibagh, Ganesha puja pandal of Kydganj, Muttiganj, Rambagh, New Cantonment, Lukerganj, Preetam Nagar and other localities.
“After a gap of two years, we are celebrating the festival and we are all overwhelmed to bring Ganpati in our pandal,” said Anand Singh, former corporator and organiser at Preetam Nagar. “As the lord comes to his home (pandal and households), he is showered with gifts. From coconut, modak (Ganesha’s favourite sweet), flowers, decoration etc, we have made all the arrangements for celebrating the festival,” said Yash Sharma of Colonelganj.