Thousands flood streets of Hubballi to bid adieu to Lord Ganesha

The roads of Hubballi’s Central Business District remained flooded with people for several hours on Friday evening, as people came out in large numbers to witness the grand and colourful immersion processions of Ganesha idols, which marked the culmination of the 12-day festivities related to the public celebration of the Ganesha festival.

While hundreds of people danced to their hearts’ content to the beat of high-decibel sound systems, thousands witnessed the grand spectacle standing on roadsides, balconies, and terraces of buildings located along the route of the procession.

Although the processions started in the afternoon, the Ganesha pandals witnessed a flurry of activities on the final day as rituals of bidding adieu to the elephant god began in the morning. Devout Hindus participated with religious fervour in the final maha mangalarati and other rituals.

As has been the practice, post-rituals, auctions for the puja materials and the offerings made to lord Ganesha were held, with several making huge bids for the same.

People waited till late hours to watch the twin attractions of the 11-day festivities, the gigantic idols of Ganesha measuring around 25 feet, namely Hubballi Ka Raja at Dajibanpet and Hubballi Ka Maharaja at Maratha Galli, being taken out in procession.

The restrictions on sound limits for the high-decibel sound systems did not deter the revellers. Only at a few Ganesha pandals were the high-decibel sound systems replaced by traditional percussion instruments like dollu and jaggalige, and folk troupes.

Police Commissioner Bhushan Borase, along with senior officials, was assisted by various contingents of police personnel who kept vigil over the processions. Additional forces were seen at sensitive locations.

As has been seen in the past, members of Muslim communities welcomed the processions at designated points. Religious heads, elected representatives and officers also took part in the formal inauguration organised by the Federation of Ganesha Mandals.

The ongoing delayed work on the elevated road at Kittur Chennamma Circle hindered the pace of the processions, and because of their height, the two gigantic idols were taken out for immersion on an alternate route finalised by the civic and police authorities.