Coimbatore: If Ganesh Chaturthi was celebrated with devotion and piety two days ago, the processions taken out for immersion of Ganesh idols were marked by pomp and gaiety in the city on Wednesday.Larger-than-life-size idols, atop an array of brightly illuminated vehicles adorned with flowers, were taken out in procession through arterial roads in the city to water bodies and immersed. Scores of devotees, mostly men in their youth, accompanied the vehicles with drums and dancing. All along the route, the vehicles were stopped at multiple spots, for people to worship.While traffic was diverted on these arterial roads to make way for the processions, a posse of policemen also accompanied the procession to ensure that there were no untoward incidents. In the past, the Ganesh Chaturthi processions had been a fountainhead for communal clashes.This time, though, the processions were completed on a peaceful note, and the idols were immersed in water bodies earmarked for the purpose. As many as 16 places were designated for immersion of the idols. Though there were about 680 idols installed in various parts of the city by Hindu outfits, police had allowed only half of them to be immersed on Wednesday in water bodies, including Kurichikulam, Kuniyamuthur and Singanallur tanks. The remaining would be immersed on Friday.Once the procession reached the water bodies, police and fire service personnel, who were deployed in large numbers, took over the task of immersing the idols. This was done to prevent haphazard immersing.Since the immersions continued after dusk, additional lighting arrangements were made in the lake bunds.We also published the following articles recentlyHubballi: Grand Ganesha idol immersion procession todayThe Rani Chennamma Maidana Gajanana Utsava Mahamandala in Hubballi has organized a grand immersion procession for the Ganesha idol installed at Idgah Maidan. Despite some opposition, the Karnataka High Court has dismissed petitions against the installation, allowing the procession to proceed as planned. The procession will include the participation of BJP leaders and aims to make the festival a success by encouraging party workers and the general public to join in. The procession will start at 11:45 am and follow a specific route before reaching the immersion spot.Arrangements made for idol immersion in VijThe city of Vijayawada in India has made arrangements for the immersion of Ganesh idols, with the city police, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), and irrigation department working together. The VMC has prohibited the immersion of POP idols in irrigation canals and has set up special counters for the deposit of pooja material. In Mumbai, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has approached the Bombay High Court to request a stay on an order which prevents the immersion of idols in the Aarey Colony. In Visakhapatnam, 40 swimmers will be deployed to ensure safety during idol immersion. In Coimbatore, 15 locations have been designated for idol immersion, with strict guidelines on eco-friendly idols.Eid procession deferred by a day for Ganesh immersionMuslim groups in Nashik have decided to postpone their Eid-e-Milad processions by a day to ensure smooth Ganapati immersion processions. This decision was made to maintain law and order and promote harmony between the two communities. The Muslim leaders have assured the police that the procession will be conducted on September 29, and there will be no noisy sound systems. The Ganesh festival organizers have also pledged to avoid loud sound systems, sprinkling of Gulal, and bursting of firecrackers. CCTV cameras will be installed along the procession routes to ensure security.

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