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Towering Ganesha idol cynosure of all eyes

The 108 feet high Ganesha idol installed on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi at MVP Colony, which is said to be the tallest Ganesha in AP and Telangana, in Visakhapatnam. Photo: K.R. Deepak

The 108 feet high Ganesha idol installed on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi at MVP Colony, which is said to be the tallest Ganesha in AP and Telangana, in Visakhapatnam. Photo: K.R. Deepak

People throng in large numbers to have a glimpse of the idol

This year, the tallest Ganesha idol rises in all its graciousness to an imposing height of 108 feet at the Alwar Das Grounds, MVP Colony. Organised by Sri Sri Maha Ganapathi Yuvajana Seva Sangham, the theme of this mammoth Ganesha idol is Vishnumurthy Avatharam, where the Lord is depicted with a huge serpent covering his head.

The towering idol has been the major attraction in the city and has seen over 15,000 people a day visiting the pandal to get a glimpse of the tallest idol of AP and Telangana as claimed by its organisers. Social networking sites like Facebook and Instagram were abuzz with people sharing pictures of the Ganesha that lords over everyone else.

Interestingly, people have been flocking the venue from neighbouring regions of Rajahmundry, Vizianagaram and even Vijayawada to see the magnificent idol. “We want the idol to be the pride of Andhra Pradesh and that too an eco-friendly one. The entire idol is made from clay and water colours and is the hard work of 65 artists from Anakapelle who toiled for 21 days before festivities began. The total budget for this year is around Rs 14 lakh,” B. Trimurthulu, chairman of Sri Sri Maha Ganapathi Yuvajana Seva Sangham told The Hindu. The idol was assembled after the parts were brought to the venue ahead of Vinayaka Chavithi.

Owing to the gigantic size of the Ganesha idol, the ‘immersion’ will be conducted at the pandal itself. “It will take a minimum of 18 hours for the complete immersion of the idol. The process will begin from 9.30 a.m. on September 26 at the venue and will be done with water, milk, turmeric and vermillion,” Mr. Trimurthulu added.

Source: The Hindu