Ganesh Chaturthi begins with religious fervour across Telangana
Hyderabad, Sept 14 (TNT): Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations began across Telangana on Monday with religious fervour and gaiety, with thousands of idols installed in towns and villages as the 10-day festivities got underway.
Markets in Hyderabad and other towns witnessed hectic activity as devotees purchased Ganesh idols and puja material.
Large idols were also transported in trucks to different parts of Greater Hyderabad and other districts.
Devotees offered prayers at homes, temples and specially erected pandals since morning.
Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, along with his spouse Janaki Shukla, performed the first puja to the famous Ganesh idol at Khairatabad in the heart of Hyderabad.
The organisers have installed a 69-foot-tall Panchamukha Sankatahara Maha Ganapati idol this year.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Rajya Sabha member Anil Kumar Yadav, MLA Danam Nagender and other elected representatives also participated in the first puja at Khairatabad.
The Khairatabad idol, which is designed differently every year, attracts devotees from Hyderabad and neighbouring districts.
Large numbers of devotees made a beeline to the site on Monday to offer prayers.
Police made elaborate security arrangements and imposed traffic restrictions in the area to facilitate the smooth conduct of the festivities.
The festival will culminate in a massive immersion procession in Hyderabad on September 25.
Hundreds of idols are immersed every year in Hussain Sagar and several other lakes in and around the city.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Governor Shukla and other leaders extended greetings to the people on the occasion.
Earlier, the Governor attended a special Ganesh puja organised by the Lok Bhavan Youth Association at Lok Bhavan.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, along with his family members, participated in a special puja at his residence in Jubilee Hills on the occasion of Vinayaka Chaturthi.
TNT TS
