Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Ganesh immersion passes off peacefully

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD Sept. 9. The city on Tuesday called curtains to the 10-day-long Ganesha festivities as devotees in large numbers marched to the Hussainsagar for immersion of the idols. The event passed off peacefully and without any untoward incident. By midnight, over 6,500 idols have been immersed at the points on upper Tank Bund, NTR Marg and Minister Road.

The main procession, which began slightly behind schedule from Balapur on the outskirts, was joined by others as it meandered past Falaknuma, Shalibanda, Charminar, Patherghatti, Moazzam Jahi Market, on to the lake. It was just after midnight that the `mother of them all,' the Khairatabad Ganesh, was immersed off the NTR Marg. The Balapur idol, which marks the tail-end of the main procession, crossed the Moazzamjahi Market junction at about 11 p.m.

Saffron flags and bandanas, sprinkling of `gulal,' pulsating `teen maar' beats and trucks carrying Ganesha idols in different sizes swarmed the route. Children and women occupied pathways and perched themselves on rooftops and peeped out of windows as the procession wend its way.

Colours were sprinkled liberally and the procession was stopped at several places to allow the young revellers indulge in boisterous dancing. Policemen egged truck drivers to move on, but the crowd refused to pay heed to them. The procession was stopped for more than 15 minutes near Shalibanda during `namaz' time, which resulted in arguments between police officials and the crowd.

Apart from the Union Minister, Bandaru Dattatreya, the Tourism Minister, T. Srinivas Yadav, the Mayor, T. Krishna Reddy, A. Narendra, MP, and a host of BJP leaders joined the procession at different places. The MIM corporators -- S. Raj Mohan and M.D. Ghouse -- set up a podium close to Mecca Masjid which was visited by the Mayor, T. Krishna Reddy, in the afternoon.

Welcome arches and pandals were set up at various places as the leaders welcomed the procession. The RSS pracharak, Charanjeet Singh, was the special invitee at Moazzam Jahi Market. The lanes and bylanes leading to the procession route were barricaded and the police took over almost the entire route. The police were present in full force. The crowd, however, was less this time when compared to previous years. Organisers attributed it to the day being Tuesday and said several others had immersed the idols on Monday itself, considering today to be `inauspicious.'

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