Hyderabad immerses in flood of devotion

Charminar: To ensure smooth flow ofBalapur Ganesh Shobha Yatra the under-construction bridge of Falaknuma was reopened so that it could reach Hussain Sagar via historic Charminar. It was closed within an hour. The other idols passed via Kandikal Gate and Chatrinaka.

The immersion of idols took place amid chants of 'Ganapati Bappa Moriya' and 'Ganesh Maharaj Ki Jai' by devotees. The celebrations were with usual fanfare which was witnessed in 2019 and earlier years. Each year, the Ganesh Utsav in parts of Old City is celebrated in a grand manner with 'Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb'. The festival is celebrated on a grand note, after Mumbai and Pune, and attracts a large crowd at the historic Charminar.

As the day progressed, crowds, which had gathered to catch a glimpse of idols began to swell. Even as the idols slowly passed through the entire stretch from Falaknuma, Shalibanda up to Charminar, the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi General secretary Dr Bhagwanth Rao, along with members, was seen welcoming them by offering floral tribute amidst sloganeering.

Hundreds of idols coming from Balapur, Chandrayangutta, Bandlaguda, Falaknuma, Shamsheergunj, Uppuguda, Lal Darwaza, Shahalibanda, Haribowli and the surrounding areas passed through Charminar. While displaying 'Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb', many Muslims, including the Majlis party leaders, were seen distributing drinking water to devotees at Charminar.

Different avatars of Ganesh from Begum Bazar, including 'Pahelwan Ganesh', which is famous as 'Begum Bazar-ka-Raja' attracted huge crowds. This year, another centre of attraction was the Idol which pays tributes to Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra. To have a glimpse of the idol many people thronged Begum Bazar, M J Market Crossroads, which is the central point. Thousands of devotees participated in the Shobha Yatra and marched along with idols. People of Begum Bazar took out a procession with different types of musical bands. Teens were seen grooving on the tunes.