The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Hundreds of idols immersed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 12, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Hundreds of idols immersed

Staff Reporter

Cranes were used in immersion for the first time in the city

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR: Ganesha idols being immersed in Ulsoor Lake on Sunday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: The ritualistic immersion of Ganesha idols has been a long followed religious tradition. But with the introduction of new modes of immersion by the authorities, such as the use of cranes, some devotees have learnt to change with the times while others have problems.

The immersion pond "Kalyani" at Ulsoor Lake was a witness to the tussle between tradition and modernity on Sunday.

As in the case of Yediyur Lake and Sankey Tank, there was a considerable increase in the number of people turning up for the Ganesha idol immersion.

This was more so because of the fact that the fifth day, which is generally preferred by the people, coincided with a Sunday.

A large crowd of people, who had come with their family members, started arriving at the lake from afternoon.

By evening, a large queue had been formed from the lake's entrance gate, opposite RBANM College. By the end of the day hundreds of idols were immersed in the city.

People were seen objecting to the requests by the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike personnel to remove the flowers before proceeding for the immersion. One of the devotees contended, "How can I remove the offerings made to Lord Ganesha whom we have worshipped for the last four days. You enter the water along with me. I will hand over the offerings to you there," he told the BMP staff.

The palike personnel obliged. But they were not so generous with the others.

The use of a special crane to immerse idols up to 20-ft. height attracted many people.

Used for the first time in the city, the crane went about its task of lifting large "Ganesha" and "Gowri" idols and immersing them in the water.

After immersion of the idols, the BMP personnel were seen separating the wooden planks supporting the idols.

But trouble began when a BMP personnel was spotted pushing the idol with his leg. This led people to argue with the officials present at the tank and the person was quickly changed.

At Yediyur and Sankey tanks people themselves entered the waters to immerse the idols.

At Lalbagh, people immersed idols in the decorated tankers filled with water that were placed at the entrance of the Lalbagh-Basavanagudi gate.

People also made use of the four 2,500-litre mobile tankers provided by the Karnataka Pollution Control Board.

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