Hyderabad: Festive atmosphere prevails across old city

Hyderabad: A festive atmosphere prevailed across the old city as devotees bid farewell to Lord Ganesh and took the idols for immersion.

As against the usual practice of the idols being moved in the early hours of the day, many organizers preferred to take them out only in the afternoon. The idols lined up at around 3 pm at Charminar where Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Committee had put up a welcome podium.

Once the idols started lining up, the festivities peaked up with the devotees dancing to music and pulsating drum beats. The organizers left no stone unturned in decorating the trucks carrying the idols with fresh flowers.

“Last year, we could not celebrate due to Covid-19 restrictions. So this time around, we have put in a little bit more effort for decoration of the truck to make it outstanding,” said Avinash, an organizer from Aliabad.

Every group accompanying the idol tried to show their distinct identity by preferring to wear a different colour ‘kurta’ and ‘turban’. “Clothes also matter a lot. Gone are days when only the idol or the truck decoration mattered,” explained Rajendar, a resident of Gowlipura.

With much fanfare, the idols from Gowlipura, Lal Darwaza, Nagulchinta, Uppuguda and surrounding areas were taken out in the evening hours. The tail end of the procession crossed the Charminar late in the night after the police persuaded the organizers to speed up the proceedings.

The police made elaborate arrangements by posting pickets at all sensitive spots to prevent mischief mongers from creating trouble. Armed pickets were posted at important places. The Rapid Action Force, Hyderabad Commissioner’s Task Force personnel and Quick Response Team personnel were deployed at various places to assist the local police.

Inspector General of Police Shahnawaz Qasim camped at Shahalibanda and monitored the procession in the South Zone.

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