BHOPAL: Devotees bid farewell to Lord Ganesha under restrictions imposed by district administration for the second year in a row in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid chants of "Ganpati bappa morya", idols Lord Ganesha were immersed in various water bodies in the city as curtains came down on the 10-day Ganpati festival on Sunday. 

Although, not more than 10 people were allowed with the deity for immersion, the protocol could not be followed at the ghats here. The prime squares of city from where devotees were to reach the ghats, were barricaded to manage crowd.

Immersion of an idol of Lord Ganesha on the last day of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Bhopal on Sunday . | FP

Devotees carry an idol of Lord Ganesha for immersion on the last day of Ganesh Chaturthi in Bhopal on Sunday . | FP

Immersion of an idol of Lord Ganesha on the last day of the Ganesh Chaturthi in Bhopal on Sunday. | FP

The Lord Ganesh idols of all sizes, from across over 700 pandals, were immersed in artificial kunds(Tanks) set up by civic body or in the ghats.

The teams of district administration and police were deployed at all the ghats. The civic body workers assisted in the immersion. The administration had deployed divers, fire fighters, cranes, boats and other to meet any exigency at the immersion sites. Life-saving jackets were also placed at the ghats. The devotees were made to keep away from the water bodies.

Devotees carry an idol of Lord Ganesha for immersion on the last day of Ganesh Chaturthi in Bhopal on Sunday . | FP

Devotees immerse idols of Ganesha on the last day of the Ganesh Chaturthi in Bhopal on Sunday | FP

a Devotee immerses idol of Ganesha on the last day of the Ganesh Chaturthi in Bhopal on Sunday | FP

The administration had set up immersion centers around the ghats for small deities, while cranes were used for the immersion of large idols.

The administration also set-up deity collection centers at places including Lalghati, Gandhi Nagar, Bhawani chowk, in front of new police control room, Awadhpuri square, Bawadia Kalan and others.

The idols were collected and sent for immersion from over 10 places in the city.

Besides, the idol immersion was carried out at Khatlapura, Prempura, Shahpura, Hathaikheda, Rani Kamlapati ghats and other natural water bodies in the city.

Devotees carry an idol of Lord Ganesha for immersion on the last day of Ganesh Chaturthi in Bhopal on Sunday . | FP

The security was beefed up at ghats to avoid any untoward incident during Ganpati immersion. In September 2019, eleven youths had drowned during immersion at Khatlapura ghat. Taking lesson from the tragic incident, the administration has started deploying cranes for the immersion of large idols of Lord Ganesha.

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