PMC to set up 210 Ganesh idol immersion points

Pune – The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has made arrangements at 210 places for immersion of Ganesh idols. Containers and tanks have been set up in various areas including river side. Ammonium bicarbonate powder is also available for immersion of Ganesh idol at home.

About six lakh Ganesh idols are bought in the city. Of these, more than five lakh idols are of Plaster of Paris. Due to the dissolution of this idol, water is polluted. Thus, Ammonium bicarbonate powder was started from the last year to immerse Ganesh idol at homes. Last year 101 MT of powder was purchased and distributed to 39457 people.

This year, the same powder has been purchased. Immersion ghat, river bed, well, and iron pots are arranged. Nirmalya (floral offerings) Kalash has been provided at the place of immersion to collect Nirmalya. Last year, the Pune municipal corporation and clean society had collected six lakh kg of floral offerings which were used for making manure.

Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi is the Hindu festival that reveres god Ganesha. It is celebrated on Shukla Paksha Chaturthi of Bhaadrapada month which typically falls in the months of August or September of the Gregorian calendar.

It is said that on this day Lord Shiva gave an elephant head to his son Ganesha and declared Lord Ganesha as superior to all the gods and other gods blessed him with many boons.

Ganesh Utsav is a ten day festival which starts on Ganesha Chaturthi on Shukla Paksha Chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period) of Bhaadrapada month and ends on Anant Chaturdashi i.e; on Shukla Paksha Chaturdashi (fourteenth day of the waxing moon period) of the same month of Hindu calendar. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha clay idols privately in homes, or publicly on elaborate pandals (temporary stages). Observations include chanting of Vedic hymns and Hindu texts such as Ganapati Upanishad, prayers and vrata (fasting).Offerings and prasadam from the daily prayers, that is distributed from the pandal to the community, include sweets such as modaka believed to be a favorite of the elephant-headed deity. The festival ends on the tenth day after start, wherein the idol is carried in a public procession with music and group chanting, then immersed in a nearby body of water such as a river or ocean.