Devotees in Surat splurge Rs 700 Cr for the Ganesh Chaturthi festival

As August 30 marked the last day for installing Lord Ganesha idols, worshipers took the adored Ganesha home with expensive music bands, traditional bands, and DJs. The prices of Ganesha idols manufactured from mud and Plaster of Paris (PoP) have grown by over 15 percent compared to prior years. However, the price increases did not stop the worshippers from selecting the finest idols.

Sources within the Ganesh Utsav Samiti in Surat reported that devotees have yearned for the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration for the past two years. The celebrations were postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak. This year, more than 80,000 large and tiny idols have been put at pandals throughout the city, compared to an average of 70,000 thousand idols in previous years.

For the first time, Lord Ganesha worshippers will have an opportunity to virtually visit the sacred Char Dham Yatra, Jagannath Puri, Rameshwaram, etc. at a huge Ganesha pandal set up in Bhatar. The Thakurji Seva Samiti has installed an 11-D effect at the pandal in Bhatar for the virtual darshan of Char Dham Yatra.

On the other hand, the Shakti Fighter Group in Adajan has set up a Ganesha pandal entirely on the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav theme along with the freedom movement by the well-known freedom fighters of India.

The majority of the residential societies have organized community meals for the 10-day-long festivities. The devotees visiting the pandals will be fed sumptuous meals during the Ganesha festival.

The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has increased the number of artificial RCC ponds for the immersion of Ganesha idols made from PoP across the city. About 19 artificial ponds have been constructed in nine municipal zones of the city. An estimated 50,000 idols will be immersed in the artificial ponds during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.