Festive spirit prevails in City

The city is abuzz with festive spirit and on Wednesday, a large number of people were seen flocking to shops selling puja items to make last-minute purchases for their homes as they geared up to celebrate the festival that makes a star of their favourite portly god.

Some people immerse the idol on the same day of the festival in the evening while others do it after three or five days. Some organisers even keep the Ganapati idol for as many as 10 days before they immerse.

The idols come in all shapes, sizes and colours. In fact, the artists start making the idols almost two to three months prior to the festival as it takes a lot of time to make a perfect idol.

While some people celebrate the festival by worshipping the Lord at home, many local organisers put up pandals for large-scale celebrations. The city also has major Ganesha temple — Sharvavu Ganapathy temple where extensive poojas take place on this auspicious day.

Several ‘sarvajanika Ganeshotsava samithis’ too are organising the festivities by installing the idol of Ganesha in its splendour. Pendals are put up on street corners to worship the Lord Ganesha. Some of the famous Ganesha’s of Mangalore are the one installed at Sanghanikethan, KSRTC bus stand and Nehru Maidan. 

Flowers, sugarcane were sold on the roadside at Kankanady, Ladygoschen, State Bank, Central Market. Despite soaring prices of essential commodities the devotees are seen eagerly buying. The Bunt community has been getting together to observe this festival under the banner of Sarvajanika Sri Ganeshotsava Samiti for the past seven years.

The Foundation set up under the stewardship of Maladi Ajith Kumar Rai Kodialguthu attempted to use cultural competitions to help the Bunts reassert their identity.