Belagavi
The city is buzzing with a festive atmosphere as preparations for the 11-day-long Ganeshotsav began on Wednesday. Belagavi is known for celebrating Lord Ganesha’s festival more vibrantly than many other parts of Karnataka. Markets are teeming with customers buying decorative items, fruits, firecrackers, clothes, and flowers, while Ganesh devotional songs resonate throughout the city.
With just two days left for the installation of Ganesha idols in homes and public spaces, shopping activity has reached its peak. Residents are taking advantage of the holidays to complete their festival preparations.
Preparations for public Ganeshotsava are also in full swing. This year, around 400 public Ganesha idols are planned for installation in Belagavi city and about 4,000 across the district. The district administration has set up a single-window system for issuing licences. Police officials confirmed that permits have been issued for 1,000 public Ganesha idols under the jurisdiction of Belagavi Police Commissionerate, with more than 400 idols slated for the city itself.
Social activist Chandrakant Hukkeri of Chikodi noted that the police are encouraging communities to install one Ganesha idol per village or town to maintain peace and harmony, although the number of public idols continues to rise. The construction of pandals is progressing at a brisk pace, with some mantap work ongoing for the past two weeks. Artists from Pune, Kolhapur, and other places have arrived to assist.
After a brief spell of rain, preparations have accelerated. Police officials reminded that a permit is mandatory for installing public Ganesha idols, and dedicated centres have been opened for issuing permissions. Peace meetings have also been conducted at all police stations to ensure smooth celebrations.
