TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: With barely a day to go for the colourful festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, which is celebrated with great revelry in Goa and the Konkan, Saturday saw shoppers indulging in frenzied shopping for traditional items offered to the elephant-headed God, the son of Shiva and Parvati and who is worshipped as the God of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune.
The State entered into the festive mood with artisans giving finishing touches to the Sarvajanik Ganesh pandals which are being erected in the major town and householders got ready to welcome the Lord into their homes.
The festival which begins on Monday, is celebrated from one-and-a-half-day by some families to a whole three weeks by others marked by poojas, exchanges of sweets among neighbours as the Hindu community believes that Lord Ganesh bestows his presence on earth for all his devotees during this festival period.
Even as preparations are in full swing, the State government had declared a ban on the sale of idols made of Plaster of Paris, which cause environmental degradation on account of the fact that they do not dissolve in water.
Any person found manufacturing, transporting, stocking and selling or displaying such Idols shall be punishable in terms of Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act 1986 and the licenses granted to them for the establishments/chitrashala shall be cancelled and the idols made of PoP shall be confiscated.
“For Goans, Ganesh is a time for family reunion at their ancestral household where cousins and distant relatives all come together under one roof. This is perhaps the only time each year this is done,” Deepa Dessai a devotee who ardently celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi said.
Meanwhile fares of interstate buses coming into Goa have shot through the roof with the tickets for the weekend being sold out. The fare for a Mumbai to Goa AC Volvo bus over the weekend was Rs 3,000, while that from Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad was approximately Rs 2000. Despite the high fares, tickets remained unavailable with family members finding it difficult to come to the State.
Goa police had a high level meeting to gear up the security during the Ganesh festival, at police headquarters in the capital.
All the police stations have been instructed to beef up security at all festive locations and other places as well, while also heighten beat patrolling. Deputy Inspector General of Police Dr O P Mishra has said that special patrolling has also been instructed to all police officials.
The Sarvajanik Mandals have been asked to follow all security measures such as installing CCTVs, deploying volunteers, frisking visitors and following queue system among others. The DIG said that organizers have been asked to liaison with the police stations to keep possible threats at bay.
Government offices will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday September 9 and 10 while banks and industries and commercial establishments will remain closed on Monday September 9.
