Kakinada: Despite restrictions imposed by the state government and Andhra Pradesh High Court, Vinayaka Chaturthi was celebrated publicly in a few places like Valasapakala in East and West Godavari districts on Friday. In most areas, however, the festivities were low key.
Police had refused permission to Bharatiya Janata Party and Nagara Ganesh Utsava Samithi to take out a padayatra. Law and order authorities even placed under house arrest BJP spokesperson Y. Malakondaiah, party city convener Chitneedi Srinivas, utsava samithi convener Duvvuri Subrahmanyam and others.
Yet, some of the activists like BJP corporator S. Lakshmi Prasanna, K. Gangadhar, Tummala Padmaja and others undertook padayatra from Lord Lakshmi Ganapati Temple to Masjid Centre in Kakinada in the name of Adyathmika Alayala Samdarsana – visit to philosophical temples.
Rajanagaram MLA Jakkampudi Raja installed a Ganesh idol at Pushkara Ghat at Rajamahendravaram on Friday. He performed pooja to the idol before immersing in the River Godavari on the same day.
Ganesh samithi convenor Subrahmanyam maintained that “Ganesh Idol’’ has been a symbol of freedom movement, which brought all Hindus under one umbrella from early 1900s. From then on, Ganesh Utsav has been celebrated across the country in a collective manner. He maintained that visiting temples is a fundamental right of every Indian and no police can take away this right.
Meanwhile, state government has made all arrangements for immersion of Ganesh idols along the Krishna river ghat near Seethamma Vari Padalu downstream of Prakasam Barrage. Krishna district collector J. Nivas, police commissioner B. Srinivasulu and Vijayawada municipal commissioner V. Prasanna Venkatesh inspected the arrangements being made for the immersion.
Krishna district collector Nivas said following Covid guidelines will be must for all devotees coming for immersing Ganesh idols. He said that only five people will be allowed to participate in the immersion while following the physical distancing norm.
Police commissioner Srinivasulu assured that necessary security arrangements have been made for immersion of idols from Sunday. Municipal commissioner Prasanna said VMC staff will constantly clean the ghats and surrounding areas to ensure that hygienic conditions are maintained continuously.
