Warangal, September 19, 2013: The thoroughfares wore a festive look with a long caravan of Ganesh idols in multitude of processions, devotees dancing in gay abandon to the beats of drums and devotional songs and people thronging from lanes and bylanes to have a glimpse of the procession.

Over 4,000 idols of different sizes and shapes were taken out in procession from various areas of Warangal, Hanamkonda and Kazipet towns to the water bodies -- Chinna Waddepally in Warangal, Padmakshi tank in Hanamkonda and Bandham cheruvu in Kazipet.

It witnessed some rare gestures with some Muslims distributing free water sachets to the devotees exerting themselves with dance and shouting slogans ‘Jai Ganesha’ in Hanamkonda chowrastha. RSS and VHP volunteers set up a temporary platform from where they welcomed the procession explaining to people on the Indian culture and traditions.

Police had tough time persuading the devotees to move fast to clear the roads.

Adilabad Staff Reporter adds: The 10-day festivities came to a peaceful end as scores of idols were taken out in a colourful ‘shobha yatra’ for immersion in Penganga river on Adilabad-Maharashtra border.

As many as 166 idols formed part of the procession which was flagged off by Adilabad Superintendent of Police S. Tripathi at Sri Saraswati Shishu Mandir school.

The first Ganesh idol rolled off at about 11 am and was immersed subsequently in the river which is located about 20 km from town. The shobha yatra showcasing other Ganesh idols however, started late in the afternoon.

Thousands of people from villages in surrounding mandals came to Adilabd to witness the shob

Source: The Hindu, September 19, 2013