Ganesh festival from Sept. 14; idol immersion on Sept. 25: BGUS

The Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS) has announced that the ‘47th Samuhik Ganesh Utsav’ will begin with the installation of Ganesh idols on September 14 and conclude with the grand Ganesh idols immersion on September 25, coinciding with ‘Anantha Chaturdashi’.

This year, the organisation will also commemorate the 150th year of Vande Mataram, the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Ramdas, the mystic poet-saint of the Bhakti movement, and the 100th birth anniversary of Ashok Singhal, former president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), said BGUS president G. Raghava Reddy and secretary Ravinuthala Shashidhar on Thursday.

The Samithi inaugurated its festival office at Baheti Bhavan in Siddiam Bazaar to begin the preparations. The occasion also coincided with the 170th birth anniversary of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who is credited with popularising public Ganesh celebrations.

The BGUS appealed to pandal organisers and devotees to promote the use of ‘Swadeshi’ products during the festival as a mark of support for indigenous industries. Founder member and special invitee Bandaru Dattatreya was also present, according to a press release.