Innovative Ganesh themes draw crowds

Visakhapatnam: A host of Ganesh pandals catch the eye in Visakhapatnam as festival organisers have taken a novel route in bringing out multiple themes. After a gap of two years, Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations witnessed grandeur and pandal organisers have installed attractive idols to stand out among the crowd.

For the organisers, it is the best time to vie with one another and draw large crowds to their pandals by installing innovative elephant-headed God. Among the tallest ones, 102-foot tall Ganesh idol at Dondaparthy Alluri Street followed by an 89-foot-tall Kailasa Viswaroopa Ganapathi with an imposing serpent was installed at Lanka Grounds in Gajuwaka.

Adding an organic touch to the theme, the idol at Ayyappa Nagar of Madhurawada was decorated with an array of assorted vegetables. At Adavivaram oil mill area, Lord Ganesh has been mounted majestically on an elephant's trunk. In the same locality, Ganesh was installed amid Govardhanagiri, while the pandal set at Gudivada Appanna Colony in BHPV takes the form of a fish. Another set at 104 Area exudes a divine ambience as it highlights the 'Devasthanam' theme.

Contributing to the political flavour, an idol at Kodi Pandela street gives darshan as Jana Sena Party leader presenting cheques to farmers. Vivekananda Seva Samstha pandal organiser at One Town area brought out a theme of Ganesh idol with a bunch of peacock feathers. At APSEB Colony, Lord Ganesh gives darshan amidst a coconut. In Gajuwaka Drivers' Colony, a set was laid depicting Lord Shiva wielding a swing with his son Lord Ganesh.

A set of idols at One Town Area has become a cynosure of all eyes as Ganesh takes the Dashavatar. Meanwhile, at Indira Gandhi Colony near Railway New Colony, Lord Ganesh accompanied by his celestial carrier 'mooshik' offers prayers to Tulasi plant along with his mother Parvathi and brother Karthikeya.