1 week Ago
Surat: Around 80,000 Ganesha idols have been installed in the city for the Ganesh festival this year. Of the total, around 5,000 are over 5 feet in height, while others are small. Thy include the idols that are installed at people's homes.
As per estimates, around 100 big idols of over 9 feet in height have been installed, violating the notification by the police. These organisations have not been provided registration by the Surat Shaher Ganesh Utsav Samiti (SSGUS). "We denied registration to those organisations who have installed idols bigger than 9 feet.
A number of these idols were made and installed despite our attempts to educate them to avoid installing such huge idols," said Anil Biscuitwala, president of SSGUS. This year, the trend of organising huge arrival processions before the installation of idols has become popular. In the past, the immersion processions were the major attractions, and thousands used to take part.
Following the strict implementation of the NGT order to stop immersion in the river, the immersion patterns have changed. Most of the immersions now take place at artificial ponds . Due to the nearby location of artificial ponds, the immersion processions have become short and smaller.
Now, in the arrival processions, lighting, musical bands, and dhol players are involved. The organising members wear uniform clothes to be part of the procession. Along with 21 artificial immersion lakes being developed by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), attempts are being made jointly by SSGUS and city police to encourage big Ganesha pandal organisers to set up additional artificial ponds.
The organisers will collect the idols from their area and immerse them in ponds. Later, the idols will be sent for immersion in the sea. Amid the rising number of pandals, SSGUS also found that in the same locality, multiple Ganesha idols are being installed.
"We try to encourage people to organise common events in the same area, but most people want their own group-specific pandals. Our idea is not being supported," said Biscuitwala..
