Bhopal: Devotees prepare to bring bappa home

BHOPAL: Ganesh Chaturthi is here but the city is devoid of tableaus and pandals because of the ongoing pandemic with the district administration issuing orders to minimize the risk of Coronavirus.
However, devotees have installed the idols of Lord Ganesha at their homes to welcome the Vighnaharta. “Sale of small idols, from two-feet high to 8-10 inch high idols, are very much in demand this year as people are placing the small statues at their pooja-ghar at homes,” said Ramesh Patidar, a gift-shop salesman selling idols of Lord Ganesha at Hoshangabad Road.
Stuti Tripathi, resident of E-4 Arera colony said that the 10 Number market Vyapari Sangh used to set up a huge tableau where residents of the whole area would go to. “But this year we all bought small idols for our home-temples only. I will miss the gathering and evening aarti,” she said.
Naveen Bodkha, secretary, Narmada Samagra, an organization working for water conservation said, “There has been a sudden increase in students wanting to make beej-Ganesha as the outdoor celebrations at public places and societies for Ganesh Chaturthi were cancelled by the district administration. Devotees are preferring to make their own clay and paper-mache idols instead of buying the plaster-of-Paris idols form the market. I have taught more than 1200 students to make the beej-Ganesha through online tutorials.”