The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Stage set for immersion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 06, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Stage set for immersion

Staff Reporter

Florists, fruit-sellers, sound system to play a major role

GEARING UP: Children and others preparing garlands of fruits which will serve as a decoration for the Ganesh idols in the city on Wednesday. — PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

HYDERABAD: The stage is all set to bid adieu to `Bojja Ganapati' after nine days of piety and reverence. On Tuesday, organisers of Ganesh pandals were seen busy decorating their trucks on which the journey of the Elephant Lord would be taken out on Wednesday.

It was not just the pandals that saw the last-minute rush. Florists, fruit-sellers and sound system dealers were among the myriad players in the entire affair.

On one side, to meet the huge demand for flowers, the Flower Wholesale Market Association in Jambagh specially ordered ten truckloads of flowers weighing an excess of 15,000 kg and comprising mostly Banthipoovu (Marigold) and `Chamanthi' (chrysanthemum).

"Banthipoovu and Chamanthi are the most auspicious for Ganesh immersion and we had to place special orders to meet the demand," Association president B. Mahipal Reddy said.

Groups of women were seen seated near mountains of apples, grapes, flowers, guavas, coconuts, maize and a variety of other fruits carefully stringing them into fruit garlands, all of which will be adorning the trucks carrying over 3,000 Ganesh idols of various hues and sizes during the procession.

"Drinking water, flowers, public address systems, elevated stages for political leaders at Charminar and Ambedkar Statue at Vinayak Sagar, prasadam -- all are in place for the procession, which should start by 10 a.m.," Secretary for Ganesh Utsav Committee G. Hanumantha Rao said.

Combined procession

The combined procession will start from Aliabad and pass through Shalibanda towards Charminar and via Moazamjahi market before reaching Tank Bund.

One of the highlights of the procession is expected to be the participation of the Pardhi Nakkala Kurvikaran community, whose Ganesh chariot will have garlands of all varieties of fruits, flowers, sweets and a laddu weighing 51 kg.

"We have prepared about 25 kg of `prasadam' for Wednesday that will be distributed on the way. Youngsters from the local dance troupes will showcase their skills throughout the journey," said S. Naresh Kumar, President for the Pardhi community.

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