<p>With the festival falling on Sunday, there was hectic shopping of the pot-bellied idol of Ganesha on Saturday.<br /><br />With the festival taking place in the backdrop of swine flu raging across the City, the masked Ganesha, became the cynosure of all eyes at shops selling the idols. However, not many families were interested in buying them as it is considered inauspicious to bring home an image of God in that form. <br /><br />Prices of the clay idols have clearly shot up over the previous year, with the miniature ones priced between Rs 60 and Rs 75 and the mammoth ones, usually purchased by associations, priced between Rs 15,000 and Rs 35,000.<br /><br />Lakshmi, purchased a medium-sized God for Rs 100 at Indiranagar market after forcing the shopkeeper to bring down the rate by Rs 10. “Everything has become costly. Flower prices have shot up four-fold,” she lamented.<br /><br />Milk, coconuts, flowers, sweets, fruits, plantain leaves and garlands were also products much in demand. <br /><br />Said Malathi Rao, a housewife, “Although the year has been tough with sickness and job loss, with Ganesh festival, we hope the bad times will end. We just pray that the God of good beginnings will shower his blessings upon us.” She said it was an occasion to invite all the near and dear ones and serve delicacies prepared for them. <br /><br />Jayashree R, a central government employee had this to say: “The prices of every commodity have gone up, but Ganesha festival is auspicious , and it does not stop us from celebrating. We perform pooja to Ganesha idol, which we keep in our house for three days and then immerse it.”<br /><br />Jayashree added, “My daughters have ensured that we celebrate an environment-friendly Ganesha festival and so the girls have decided to immerse the idol in a bucket.”</p>
<p>With the festival falling on Sunday, there was hectic shopping of the pot-bellied idol of Ganesha on Saturday.<br /><br />With the festival taking place in the backdrop of swine flu raging across the City, the masked Ganesha, became the cynosure of all eyes at shops selling the idols. However, not many families were interested in buying them as it is considered inauspicious to bring home an image of God in that form. <br /><br />Prices of the clay idols have clearly shot up over the previous year, with the miniature ones priced between Rs 60 and Rs 75 and the mammoth ones, usually purchased by associations, priced between Rs 15,000 and Rs 35,000.<br /><br />Lakshmi, purchased a medium-sized God for Rs 100 at Indiranagar market after forcing the shopkeeper to bring down the rate by Rs 10. “Everything has become costly. Flower prices have shot up four-fold,” she lamented.<br /><br />Milk, coconuts, flowers, sweets, fruits, plantain leaves and garlands were also products much in demand. <br /><br />Said Malathi Rao, a housewife, “Although the year has been tough with sickness and job loss, with Ganesh festival, we hope the bad times will end. We just pray that the God of good beginnings will shower his blessings upon us.” She said it was an occasion to invite all the near and dear ones and serve delicacies prepared for them. <br /><br />Jayashree R, a central government employee had this to say: “The prices of every commodity have gone up, but Ganesha festival is auspicious , and it does not stop us from celebrating. We perform pooja to Ganesha idol, which we keep in our house for three days and then immerse it.”<br /><br />Jayashree added, “My daughters have ensured that we celebrate an environment-friendly Ganesha festival and so the girls have decided to immerse the idol in a bucket.”</p>
