Ganpati Bappa receives a grand farewell from citizens

Ganeshotsav concludes amidst magnificent processions, jumbo dhol pathaks and decorated chariots

Aurangabad, Sep 10:

Hundreds of magnificent idols of Lord Ganpati covered with flowers and ornaments, attractive clothing were placed in a magnificent chariot. Streets were lit up with colourful lights, hundreds youths played jumbo drums and tasha with the same enthusiasm for several hours and youths danced to the rhythm of band pathaks. The citizens experienced such excitement and joy from morning to late in the night on the Anant Chaturthi on Friday.

To double the joy of the celebrations, various political parties erected huge stages in various parts of the city and showered flowers on every passing procession. Arrangements from water to food packets were made available by various Ganesh Mandals. Be it Gulmandi, Garkheda City Chowk or TV Centre, the same enthusiasm was seen among the mandals. Chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya' were raised by the devotees. There was a huge crowd of devotees lined up at the immersion wells in the evening.

Procession of Sansthan Ganpati

Union Minister of State for Finance Dr Bhagwat Karad, Cooperation minister Atul Save and MLA Haribhau Bagde performed the aarti of the Sansthan Ganpati. Collector Sunil Chavan, Police commissioner Dr Nikhil Gupta, Municipal administrator Abhijeet Chaudhary, Ganesh Mahasangh founder president Prithviraj Pawar, president Vijay Autade, Tansukh Zambad, Rashid Mamu and others were present on this occasion. The festival idol of Sansthan Ganpati was placed in a decorated bullock cart (chariot). It was then pulled by the political leaders along with Leader of opposition Ambadas Danve, Sena leader Chandrakant Khaire, former Mayor Nandkumar Ghodele and others at 11.30 am.

Decoration of flowers

This year, many Sarvajanik Ganesh mandals preferred to decorate their vehicles using flowers instead of lighting. The vehicles were beautifully decorated using flowers like Gerbera, Rose and Marigold. This was the main attraction of the immersion procession.

Idols decorated beautifully

Every Ganesh Mandal had decorated their idol using jewellery and ornaments. The Balkanhaiyya Ganpati idol was decked with silver ornaments. The grand idol looked spectacular with the decoration and was a centre of attraction of the devotees. Some mandals used LED lights to make the idol look attractive.

City reverberates with sound of Dhol and Tasha

The dhol-tasha pathaks of the sarvajanik Ganesh Mandals were the centre of attraction of the immersion procession. There were 50 to 200 members in every dhol pathak. The old city reverberated with the beats of the drums. The pathak members were wearing traditional clothes. There was also participation of women. The Bramhagarjana Dhol Pathak, Mahakal Ganesh Mandal, Har Har Mahadev Krida Mandal, Bal Gajanan Ganesh Mandal, Pavan Ganesh Mandal, Nadabramha Ganesh Mandal, Vijaypath Dhol Pathak, Janseva Krida ani Sanskrutik Mandal, Shri Sant Savta Ganesh Mandal, Pavan Ganesh Krida Mandal, Sambhaji Ganesh Krida Mandal, Jai Rana Krida Mandal, Ransangram Krida Mandal, Veer Balram Krida Mandal, Pujan Krida Mandal, Veer Shaiva Krida Mandal, Goganath Krida Mandal, Vighnaharta Ganesh Mandal, Mrutyunjay Krida Mandal, Chhatrapati Krida Mandal, Veerbhadra Krida Mandal, Saiichha Pratishthan, Navyug Ganesh Krida Mandal, Kesari Padmapura Mitramandal dhol pathaks dominated the immersion procession.