Celebrations in City :
As for Hyderabadis, the preparations for
Ganesh Chaturthi begins months in advance, as the breezes of areas like Dhoolpet,
Mangalhaat, Shayinatgunj, Puranapool and Shakkargunj start smelling the fragrances of
chalk powder and metallic colours. It is time for a brisk business for those seasonal
artisans with the sale of Ganesh Idols of varied sizes and postures, of which many a
bigger one are made on orders from various Ganesh Utsav Committees in City. The make of
the all time tallest Ganesh Idol at Khairatabad (40 feet this year) begins nearly a month
and a half before the festival.
 Just the day
before Ganesh Chaturthi are set up beautiful stages at every corner of the city by the
local Ganesh Utsav Committees funded by public contributions. The organisers get the huge
Ganesh Idols installed on the stages and puja is performed with all devotion with
the help of a purohit. The festivities stretch over 9 days with puja done
both at dawn and dusk and also a variety of cultural activities in the evenings. The
Government has even instituted best mandap awards from this year to encourage the
decorations.
 On the tenth
day after the festival are thousands of Ganesh idols across the City taken on a procession
for Nimarjan all the way to Hussain Sagar with all pomp. With trucks carrying the
huge Idols under the flood lights headed by the joyous youth dancing to the beat of Teen
Maar on the band and the spreading gulal, the procession presents a great feast
to one’s eyes. Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad arranges cranes for the nimarjan
of huge idols and the nimarjan takes place amidst the shrill cries of "Ganapathi
bappa moriya" calling Ganesh to come back soon the next year.
The entire city is set to waves in the
festive mood all through the nine days and of course the nimarjan. For those who
cannot afford to move out, there always is the luxury of live shows of the nimarjan
processions in the local satellite channels!
Continue... |
