Ganesh immersion processions turns into a divine encounter for millions

Hyderabad’s biggest participatory festival of Ganesh immersion headed to a successful culmination as over 2,32,520 idols were immersed in six different zones of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation by Saturday (September 06) evening. A sea of humanity of over 30 lakh persons thronged the streets from Balapur in the southern end of the city to Alwal in the north. The centrepiece of the spiritual-social event was at Khairatabad where one of the tallest idols was moved from the site in the morning to be immersed in Hussainsagar lake by 1.20 p.m. 

The streets were lined by kiosks set up by religious charities and other social groups providing food and beverages to passing devotees.

The roads in Hyderabad wore a deserted look as the vehicular traffic movement was restricted for the Ganesh immersion procession. The Metro trains were packed  and the platforms overflowing as they ferried devotees to the three stoppages at Irram Manzil, Khairatabad and Lakdi Ka Pul. On the streets ringing the historic Hussainsagar Lake, where most of the processions converged, there was an air of festive carnival with people dressed up for the occasion. As the Ganesh procession moved through the street near Telephone Bhavan, a woman saw a TV cameraman and made him point at her son. “I want my son to be seen by everyone in our family,” said Sabitha Goud who came with her family in the morning. “I have clicked photographs and videos but getting it on TV where everyone would watch is what I wanted my family to experience,” said the woman who had come from Yousufguda with her family. Another person held up a young boy on his shoulders who prayed and recited ‘Ganesh maharaj ki jai’ multiple times as shutterbugs clicked away.

As a swirl of police drones flew over the sky, the department shared links for watching the immersion procession from multiple points in the sky. Later in the evening Minister for BC Welfare and incharge Minister for Hyderabad Ponnam Prabhakar took to the skies in a chopper accompanied by civic and police officials to check the proceedings.

By the end of the day, the Hussainsagar looked like a bejewelled wonder with thousands of lights lighting up the water surface and the roads around it.