The much-awaited and religiously observed festival Ganesh Chathurthi will not be celebrated with pomp and show this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ceremonies for the same will commence on August 22nd going up to September 1st, making it an 11-day celebration.
The galas held during the processions will also not be witnessed as the Bhagyanagar Ganesh UtsavSamithi has ruled out.
On Monday, the committee announced that there won’t be a centralized immersion ceremony as well which was the tradition since forever.
Moreover, processions taken out for immersing the idols of Lord Ganesha are not going to be carried out as the committee has appealed to the devotees to avoid the same so as to prevent the spread of the virus.
They also requested the pandal organizers to maintain a strict compliance with the rules, avoiding any dramatic and huge celebration. Idols have been directed to be immersed in nearby lakes or rivulets, unlike the central immersion at Hussain Sagar.
The UtsavSamithi further advised the organizers to make sure that there is proper social distancing maintained between the devotees. Use of masks and sanitizers must also be encouraged to curb the possible spread of infection, they said.
All organizers had been appealed to design and set up smaller idols rather than the massive ones. Moreover, they were told to keep the ritual ceremony a low affair.
Apart from being vigilant and following the covid-19 rules and regulations formulated by the State government, the pandal organizers have been urged to ensure that not more than four to five people partake in the function, that too, by preserving the social distancing norms.
R. Shashidhar, Secretary of the UtsavSamithi requested colony committees and youth associations to avoid setting up gigantic idols to be able to immerse the idols at smaller water bodies which are in their close proximity. The use of fireworks, music bands, and other celebratory means are told to be avoided as well.
The secretary added that the ceremonies for the festival will begin on August 22nd and conclude on September 1st which is the AnanthaChaturdashi Day.
With more than one lakh idols set up by residents of the city, the ceremonies used to get ended by immersing around 70,000 of these in the infamous HussainSagar.
These centralized immersion functions were preceded by processions on a large scale from Balapur. Devotees from all parts of the city would reach the lake to immerse the Ganesh idols they set up at their respective colony hubs and homes.
The most popular Khairtabad Ganesh idol which was supposed to be 62 feet this was directed to be made 1 foot tall.
The Samithi told the pandal organizers to perform the Harathi at 7 in the evening everyday followed by an offering of prayers, asking Him to help the people of the world from the virus and keep each person protected and safe.
Its General Secretary, BhagwanthRao, said that the all the measures have been taken to ensure that the virus doesn’t make a home in other people as well.
The Samithi had previously declared that the annual festivities where infamous Balapur Ganesh Laddu is put up for auction will not be done this year in view of the pandemic.
The virus has extended its role in diminishing the grand affairs of religious festivals as well apart from the everyday lives people.
