Ganesh begins to arrive in aagaman yatras across city

Hyderabad: While the Shri Ganesh Navratri will begin on Saturday on the occasion of Chaturthi, the trendy ‘Aagaman’ processions welcoming ‘Ganapati Bappa’ to the pandals have begun, making the atmosphere electric with colourful processions.

The big pandal organisers generally bring their idols to mark the Chaturthi. However, to avoid last-minute rush and traffic chaos at busy markets like Dhoolpet, they are bringing idols well in advance. The organisers in the city are seen taking out huge processions to welcome Bappa into their pandals and devote themselves for the ten-day festival. For many, the festival is to prove that their idol of Bappa and procession remain the best. While in the past the procession was limited to immersion, during the last couple of years, the Aagaman of God has been the new trend in the city.

Areas such as Ramnagar, Asifnagar, Nampally, Mallepally, Secunderabad, Gowlipura, and Begum Bazar have witnessed such colourful’ Aagaman’ during the last one week as Bappa is reaching the pandals. One popular Ganesh pandal organised by a Muslim, Mohammad Meher Siddiqui—also known as Ramnagar Siddiqui—claims to have started the trend of Aagaman in the city. This year also it was taken up in a grand manner in Ramnagar.

The pandal organisers said Mumbaikars have special swag in celebrating the festival, and Aagaman is a big hit. P Vishal Raj of Sri Balaji Youth Association, Patel Nagar, Nampally, said like the way lakhs of devotees throng the streets on the final day to bid adieu, they are welcoming Bappa. This trend is catching up in Hyderabad now. This year, the Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Samithi will also take up Aagaman at 7.30 pm on Friday.

Vishal said the best part of the festival, apart from installation and pooja, is the procession on the last day. “This is my favourite festival; we celebrate with perfect planning. We book everything in advance to avoid the last-minute surge in pricing. Contribution is done by all friends without insisting on ‘chanda’. We don’t force people to give money; they voluntarily donate as everyone wants their area. Ganapati is the best one; the biggest satisfaction is when people take pictures and videos of our troop,” he said.

The city, having seen the Aagaman processions during the last fortnight, will now immerse in devotion during ten days from Saturday with programmes like ‘Samuhik Aarti’, 'prasadam', and ‘Annadanam’ during the festival.