Gondia welcomes Ganesh Chaturthi with drums and heavy police bandobast
Gondia district installed Ganesh idols at 710 public pandals and 5,950 homes as police deployed extensive security across all 17 police station areas.
Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated with great fervour in Gondia on Monday, September 14, with devotees thronging the streets from late night with modaks in hand and aarti thalis, welcoming the deity amid grand fireworks.
Ganesh mandals made this year's procession special with traditional instruments, DJ music, tableaux and dancing troupes, while gulal and flower showers added colour to the celebrations across the city.
Of the 556 villages in Gondia district, 445 have adopted the "one village, one Ganpati" concept this year, installing only a single public idol. Besides this, Ganesh utsav mandals will install idols at public pandals at 710 locations across the district this year.
Police station area-wise, installations are taking place at 108 locations in Gondia city, 81 in Gondia rural area, 62 in Ramnagar police station area, 55 in Ravanwadi, 45 in Tirora, 46 in Gangazari, 25 in Dawanivada, 53 in Amgaon, 45 in Salekasa, 23 in Goregaon, 35 in Deori, 25 in Chichgarh, 55 in Duggipar, 12 in Navegaonbandh, 10 in Kishori and 30 in Arjuni Morgaon. In addition, Ganesh idols are being installed in 5,950 homes today.
Preparations for the welcome included drawing swastik symbols with kumkum and laying out red-saffron and yellow cloth at worship sites, while pandals were decorated with rangoli, flowers, mango leaves and other decorative items. Rallies began from the workshops of idol makers early this morning to install the idols amid the beating of dhol-tasha and nagara drums and chants of "Ganpati Bappa Morya", with devotees showing tremendous enthusiasm.
The district police have made extensive arrangements to ensure the festival is celebrated peacefully. Under the control of District Superintendent of Police Gorakh Bhamre and the supervision of the Additional Superintendent of Police, all 17 police station in-charges, led by the district's four Sub-Divisional Police Officers, have planned fixed-point deployment, barricading and patrolling at public Ganeshotsav sites and crowded and traffic-heavy areas. Plainclothes officers along with Charlie squads and Damini squads have been activated to deal with incidents such as harassment, theft and pickpocketing.
Besides these, RCP, QRT squads, C-60 commandos, the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad, the motor transport department, the wireless communication department and the district traffic department will also be deployed. Checkpoints have been set up at the city's entry points and a CCTV network is monitoring the area. Police have warned that strict legal action will be taken against those with criminal intent who try to disturb law and order.
