Joyous Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations seen across coastal Karnataka

Mangaluru, Udupi: Shri Ganesh Chaturthi was all set and sundry in the twin coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.

The last-minute relaxation by the State government for public celebrations has mildly reduced the number of Ganeshotsava pandals (stages).

Most of the Ganeshotsavs in the two districts are being held in convention or marriage halls, Bhajan Mandirs and in the halls of school and colleges. In most of the houses, the celebration is amongst family members.

In Ganesh temples across the districts, Ganeshotsav celebration will be held in with simple poojas.

Ganeshotsav celebrations are usually held for 5 days in both districts. But in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, it is limited to a single day. The district administration has already instructed that those who are installing Lord Ganesha statue in public must install a statue that is less than four feet in height and for home installed statues the height must be less than two feet inside.

Furthermore, the premises where Ganapati statue will be installed publicly must accommodate only 20 people and there cannot be any kind of cultural, music, dance or other entertainment performances.

Also, home-installed Ganesh statues must be immersed at home while those installed at public places will be immersed in artificial and mobile water tanks.

On Friday, trading was well underway in the markets of both the districts. Flower merchants were seen in large numbers. Approximately 150 to 200 tonnes of sugarcane was sold in Mangaluru city itself.

However, compared to all the previous years, shoppers were sparse.

Dharmadhikari Dr Veerendra Heggade speaking on the occasion said: “There are many unexpected turns in life. Coping with them is what make life and living worthwhile. Religious contemplation and worldly knowledge are the guiding principles for a successful life. A satisfactory life should be everyone’s ambition. Right now the number of people recovering from COVI-19 is increasing. Little more precautions will help us all in successfully defeating the virus. I pray to the destroyer of all obstructions Lord Ganesha and wish happiness for all in the coming days.”