Hyderabad, August 10, 2013: More than 70,000 Ganesh mandaps are expected to be set up for the 10-day Vinayak Chaturthi festivities starting from September 9 in the city. The mass idol immersion would be held on September 18.

The Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi which coordinates with mandap organisers during the festivities inaugurated its office at Baheti Bhavan, Siddiamber Bazaar, here on Friday. Samithi president G. Raghava Reddy, BJP leader Baddam Bal Reddy and others were present.

Samithi general secretary Bhagavanth Rao said a pre-festival public meeting to be addressed by VHP senior leader Ashok Singhal and Swami Chinmayananda from Uttar Pradesh would be held at Nizam College grounds on September 1.

Dr. Rao appealed the police to avoid harassment of pandal organisers.

This year, all the organisers have been asked to organise ‘aartis’ daily at 9 p.m.

Source: The Hindu, DT. August 10, 2013.