Lucknow bids grand adieu to Bappa
On Anant Chaturdashi, vibrant processions marked Ganesh idol immersions, blending joy and nostalgia as devotees bid farewell to the deity.
Grand processions by people dressed in bright traditional clothes were taken out throughout the city for the immersion of Lord Ganesh idols on Anant Chaturdashi, the last day of the ten-day Ganesh Utsav, on Tuesday.
Some danced to the beats of dhol while chanting ‘Ganpati Bappa Maurya, agle baras tu jaldi aa (Hail Lord Ganesh, come back soon next year)’. Others were left teary-eyed as they bid a hearty goodbye to the idols they revered during the festival. People also applied gulal on each other and imitated aghoris and performed fire stunts.
Sanjay Kumar, 38, who immersed his Ganesh idol about three days back turned up to watch others bid adieu to the deity at Jhulelal Park. “It is the last day of the festival. My wife and I have been coming to the Gomti riverbank every year for the last 15 years for the Visarjan,” said Kumar.
Shiva Mishra, 38, who came to the venue with his parents and kids, said, “We clicked several photographs and made videos with the idol to make memories about this year’s Ganesh Puja before getting the idol immersed in water.”
Shweta Singh Chauhan, 25, and her sister Anshi, 15, celebrated the ten-day festival for the first time with their family. They reached the artificial pond at Jhulelal Park with an extensive procession. “My heart feels heavy. It feels as if I am bidding farewell to my family member. I am looking forward to the next Ganesh Chaturthi,” said Chauhan.