After a ten-hour procession within the city limits of Hyderabad, the 40-foot tall Panchamukha Rudra Maha Ganapati idol of Khairatabad was finally immersed in the Hussain Sagar Lake on Sunday, September 19. On the same day, around 1,000 idols from various parts of the city were immersed in Tank Bund. Hundreds of people participated in the procession and idol immersion, flouting physical distancing and other COVID-19 safety norms.
Puja for the Khairatabad Ganesh began at midnight on the ninth day of Vinayaka Chaturthi. After which, the Ganesh Utsav committee started the procession by initially loading the smaller idols onto a platform and trailer that would be used to move them. It took three hours of metal work to remove the iron frames attached to the giant Ganesh and then load it onto the trailer using a crane. The 40-foot tall idol joined the procession from Kairatabad and reached the NTR marg to be immersed in the Hussain Sagar Lake, according to official information shared by the Utsav committee.
This year, while the High Court banned the immersion of PoP idols in the Hussain Sagar Lake, the Telangana state government got the ban lifted by approaching the apex court. The Supreme Court allowed a symbolic immersion, which means, the idol should not be left in the water and should be taken out after immersing it. The apex court also said that this is the last year that PoP idol immersions can take place in the Hussain Sagar Lake and asked the state government to make alternate arrangements from next year.
Apart from the Hussain Sagar Lake, several idols were immersed in various lakes and small ponds within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits.
Telangana DGP, Mahender Reddy, speaking on the occasion of the Ganesh immersions, said that the police were monitoring the immersion and procession via manpower on the ground and CCTV cameras that were set up at several places along the route.
Pics from the immersion of the 40-feet tall Khairatabad Ganesh in the Hussain Sagar Lake in #Hyderabad pic.twitter.com/KviUMO88ok
— BA Raju's Team (@baraju_SuperHit) September 19, 2021
A Mighty Khairatabad Ganesh has ready for immersion @ Tankbund#Ganapathi Moriya pic.twitter.com/5AIuFSqjyn
— Shikha Goel, IPS (@AddlCPCrimesHyd) September 19, 2021
Successfully completed the Immersion of Khairatabad Bada Ganesh at Tank Bund, Thank you @hydcitypolice, media personnel, @HMWSSBOnline, @HMDA_Gov, @GHMCOnline team, @TsspdclCorporat and other departments who were part of this procession.@KTRTRS @trspartyonline @YadavTalasani pic.twitter.com/EfnbZkctYv
— Vijayalaxmi Gadwal, GHMC MAYOR (@GadwalvijayaTRS) September 19, 2021
Laddu auctions
Meanwhile, the 21 kg Balapur Ganesh laddu was auctioned and bought for a whopping Rs 18.90 lakh. It was bought by AP Legislative Council member from Kadapa, Ramesh Yadav and Marri Sashank Reddy of Abacus Overseas Education. Ramesh has announced that he will gift the laddu to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Another Ganesh laddu from the My Home Bhooja company was auctioned for Rs.18.50 lakh in Hyderabad.