CH NEWS, RAICHUR
Despite repeated appeals from the district administration to avoid Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols in the interest of environmental protection, several public Ganeshotsav committees in the city have reportedly installed large POP idols two days ahead of the scheduled muhurat.
Sources said, some committees brought the idols to their mantaps late at night, reportedly apprehending that the police might prevent their installation if they waited until the prescribed time. The idols have been covered with plastic sheets, with formal puja planned on Monday.
At Ramanagar, an attractive mantap has been erected on the premises of the Kodandarama Temple, where a large idol was brought in a procession on a lorry and installed. At Chandramouli Circle too, an idol was installed two days ahead of the festival. The administration and police had appealed to organisers not to erect mantaps in the middle of roads or install excessively tall idols. However, large idols have been installed at some locations. Ensuring compliance with regulations while maintaining law and order during a religious festival remains a challenge for the police.
Some Ganeshotsav committees have opted out of installing idols this year due to the prevailing drought situation, while celebrations are being organised mainly in areas where funds have been collected. The traditional practice of installing a common Ganesh idol for an entire locality has also reportedly declined, with idols increasingly being installed by caste- and community-based groups in some areas. The festival has also brought a surge in commercial activity across the city. Major markets and roadside shops are witnessing increased footfall, with demand rising for flowers and other puja materials used for decorating mantaps. Traders have stocked jasmine, roses, marigolds and other flowers, while sales of bananas, apples, grapes, oranges, coconuts and other fruits have also increased. Though prices of flowers and fruits have risen slightly ahead of the festival, people continue to purchase puja materials and other essentials. Markets, major junctions and areas surrounding Ganesh mantaps are witnessing brisk business activity.
