The truck carrying the New Shakkargunj Ganesh idol was decorated with varieties of fruits. It took about three days for the organisers and residents to decorate the vehicle.
Dileep Raj, president of ‘Pittalolla Sangam Ganesh Utsav Committee’ said, “Every year, we use the same quantity of fruits to adorn the vehicle irrespective of their prices.”
Huge crowd at Khairatabad
Huge crowds thronged Khairatabad on the D-Day, as people who could not visit Khairatabad Ganesh during the last ten days came down for a glimpse while the idol was being taken out for immersion.
Show-stealer
Gangster Youth Association from Falaknuma stole a march over other Ganesh pandal organisers by taking out the procession on a bullock cart. The cart was decorated tastefully by association members.
Toy trucks
Children from across the city took out their own novel processions on miniature toy trucks and other platforms. They pulled the carts religiously from far-off places like Laldarwaza and Uppuguda up to Hussainsagar.
Food kiosks
Various political parties including MIM set up platforms at different points on the procession route to welcome the idols.
The parties, along with Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi and other voluntary organisations, set up food and water kiosks and served the people thronging the area.
The MIM’s stage was near Nimra hotel.
Refreshments
Contrary to the regular practice, shops around the Charminar area remained open to cater to the people participating in the procession.
Revellers took a break from the procession and thronged these shops for refreshments as they reached Charminar.
Pandal organisers in the old city vied for the best face during the festivities.
While some organised dancers dressed as peacocks, others came out dressed as mythological characters like Narada, demons and Rama and Lakshmana.
First idol
The colourful procession in Secunderabad began in the evening as against the usual practice of starting in the midnight.
The procession was led by the Old Bhoiguda Friends Association and reached Karbala Maidan at Ranigunj by 6 p.m.
Last year, the first idol from Secunderabad reached the place around 4 a.m. the next day.
Vehicles decked up
Compared to those from the Old City, idols from Secunderabad presented a more colourful front, with the organisers decorating the vehicles with lights and flowers specially brought from Bangalore.
Cultural troupe from Kerala
Folk artists from Vijayawada and Srikakulam were roped in to perform during the procession. Some organisers even hired the services of a cultural troupe from Kerala which remained the highlight of the event.
Tallest idol
The grand procession of the tallest Ganesh idol in Secunderabad, taken out by the Adarsh Lorry Owners Association from YMCA, stole the limelight.
It passed through the main thoroughfares of Secunderabad, including Clock Tower, Secunderabad Railway Station, Paradise, and Ranigunj on the way to Tank Bund.
This year, the police arranged two separate cranes near Children’s Park Rotary on Upper Tank Bund to enable early completion of immersion of idols coming from Secunderabad and its surroundings in the wake of Sunday’s Telangana March on Necklace Road.
Immersion arrangements
The Ranga Reddy district administration made immersion arrangements at 11 water bodies.
700 idols
At least, 700 idols were immersed in lakes at Saroornagar, Kapra, Safilguda, Hasmathpet, Pragathinagar and IDL in Kukatpally, Pathikunta in Shivrampally, Pallecheruvu in Rajendranagar, Alwal, Shamirpet and Shamshabad by Saturday midnight.
Different ‘avatars’
The environs of Malkajgiri came alive as pandal organisers took out colourful motorcades carrying idols in different ‘avatars’ towards the Mini Tank Bund at Safilguda.
