Hyderabad: Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi vetoes move on 'Maha Ganapati'

Hyderabad: The Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS) has vetoed the decision of its Khairatabad unit to immerse the 'Maha Ganapati' at the spot. It said on Thursday that the immersion will be held in Tank Bund as per 'shastra'.

The Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Samithi had announced that it would take up the immersion of 'Maha Ganapati' at the same spot, where the idol is installed, in wake of the controversy surrounding the immersion of idols in Tank Bund. Khairatabad BGUS president S Sudarshan had said that next year they would have a 70 ft idol made of clay. It will be immersed at the same place.

However, the BGUS leaders said that they had discussed the decision. There is clarity that the Maha Ganapati will be immersed in Tank Bund only.

"We take up festivals as per our customs and traditions. We have been taking up immersion of idols in water bodies for hundreds of years. This practice should continue. We cannot immerse in tubs, buckets, as it is against our 'shastras," said Bhagwanth Rao, BGUS general secretary.

Hails SC ruling

Hailing the Supreme Court decision to allow Ganesh idol immersion at Tank Bund, the BGUS said that it, along with the State government, would approach the High Court for changing the guidelines with regard to immersion next year.

Rao said the samithi thanks the SC for its timely judgment in permitting Ganesh idols made of PoP with paints in Tank Bund and surrounding tanks.

The samithi leaders urged devotees to take up immersion of idols on September 19 on 'Anantha Chaturdashi'. "They should note that 'pitra paksha' starts from Monday onwards; hence they should complete the immersion on Sunday only."