Vizag gears up for Ganesh Chaturthi with innovative pandal themes

Visakhapatnam: A number of road corners in neighbourhoods are getting decked up as organisers get into action to set up the elephant-headed God pandals for the ensuing Ganesh Chaturthi festivities.

Along with the residents’ welfare association representatives, members of merchant associations and youth organisations team up to incorporate innovative themes to draw the attention of devotees.

Visakhapatnam is all set to exude a festive charm as committees step up to design customised pandals for different idols of Lord Ganesh.

A mammoth ‘Uchchishta Ganapathi’ gets installed at Gajuwaka. Another huge idol is getting readied at Dondaparthy. Committee members mention that the Gajuwaka idol would be the tallest in the state. In Gajuwaka constituency, the organisers used to vie with one another to set up the tallest Ganesha at the pandals. However, this year, one big Ganesh idol will be installed in the segment.

Efforts to pour life to different idols and innovative themes began much ahead of the festivities.

Pandals at One Town area, Kancharapalem, MVP Colony, Railway New Colony, among other colonies, are gearing up to depict diverse themes. Work to bring in a ‘chocolate’ Ganesh gets intense at MVP Colony.

Planet-friendly festivities

Working in tune with the eco-friendly celebrations, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) hosted an awareness programme in the city, involving representatives of NGOs, residents’ welfare associations and voluntary organisations.

Emphasising the need to conserve the environment and encourage planet-friendly celebrations, Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari and GVMC Commissioner P Sampath Kumar mentioned that people should learn to respect the planet and contribute their bit to conserving it in every possible manner. “Worshipping planet-friendly idols during festivities would go a long way in saving the environs,” they stressed, while giving away clay idols to the people.

With the launch of a single-window concept by the state government for getting pandal permissions, youth organisations are coming forward to host events. Through the WhatsApp No: 7995095800, organisers could get all the information related to the festival permissions.

They receive a no objection certificate after uploading relevant documents on ‘ganeshutsav.net.’

Adding to the festive fervour, some of the entrepreneurs introduce puja kits. Sri Sai Yegna Enterprises is offering a festival package that comes along with a number of items required to perform Ganesh puja.